Cerekloth

A formidable ways away from their more traditionalist Deicide-/Autopsy-inspired beginnings, Denmark's Cerekloth have arrived with a new lease on death and a full-length debut that brings them that much closer to carving out their own moody and resolute niche. Weaving threads of disquieting dissonance and melody through a stern backbone of mid-tempo death metal, they've concocted something that sounds alarmingly fresh despite the clarity of their influences and lack of concern for directly pushing the boundaries of how they're incorporated. Sometimes, an eerie lead is all a song needs to push it over the edge, and this loose formula livens up what could have easily become another entry into the rapidly saturating old-school death metal camp. Shades of vintage Paradise Lost and modern avant-black metal help colour the occasionally meandering songwriting something a few shades beyond the average charcoal smudge, with a notably transparent master and strangely appropriate polish contributing to the album's almost accidental uniqueness. Here's hoping it won't be unjustly overlooked during the onset of the spring release blitz.