Chthonian

Have you guys heard of Demilich? They were a Finnish death metal band from the early ’90s. After putting out a few demos, they recorded Nespithe, a corkscrew of an album that struck many as deranged and alienating, even for death metal. The material was unique, with riffs that could flush a brain down its spine, all sounding either backwards, seasick or extraterrestrial. The songs had cryptic titles like "The Sixteenth Six-Tooth Son of Fourteen Four-Regional Dimensions (Still Unnamed)” and "Raped Embalmed Beauty Sleep.” The vocals were kept at a low gurgle, draped in enough reverb to blur out whatever they were really talking about. It was bizarre and would have no equal until Obscura, which Gorguts wrote listening to Nespithe. Demilich never really toured, or even explained themselves, and made Finland seem like a far stranger place. All this makes reviewing Chthonian’s new record a bit unfair. Chthonian, despite being fellow Finns, clearly aren’t drinking the same tap water. It’s death metal and it might even be great, so check it out and let us know. Just don’t listen to Demilich first, like some have, or you’ll find yourself handicapped by the same grotesque, unreasonable standard.