Formed by members of the decidedly non death metal act Ananda (and other hardcore acts), Carmina is the full of death metal assault and only the second release on fledgling Rewolucja Records (owned by Carmina bassist Bif), and it’s a pretty scorching little EP.
Clocking in at 25 minutes, the 7 no nonsense songs that comprise this EP have a heavy Immolation/ Incantation feel with grinding, churning, primal riffs, gruff cavernous growls and discordant approach to playing that sits astride technical flurries and crumbling Cryptopsy-ish chaos. The murky, somewhat underwhelming production/mix aids the overall Ibex Moon Records (but with more blasting) sound, but some may see it as a sloppy detriment. I’m somewhere in between as the mix benefits the gravelly, atonal vortex of the likes of “Réminiscences”, “Organiques” and punishing “Aberration”, but I’d like to hear what some of these pretty impressive riffs sound like with a fuller, richer sound.
This is a very tasty little EP of no frills death metal brutality that shows a lot of promise considering the band members hardcore and alternative backgrounds. They all can handle their instruments and have a grasp on death metal dynamics that I that look forward to hearing more of in the future.
