OPHIDIAN MEMORY is a solo project formed by Blake Lamoureux in 2019 from Des Moines, Iowa. The melodic Death Metal project released so far one EP and three full-length albums. Their fourth album "Seraphim" was produced, recorded, and mixed by Blake Lamoureux. It was mastered by Rick Stallkamp (DIMENSION OF THE ABANDONED). The album has a length of more than 48 minutes, and it was released via US Death Metal and Deathgrind specialists Iron Fortress Records. The album starts with an 11-minute banger. "Charred Chasm Of The Meadow" is introduced by thunderous guitar riffs at mid-tempo at a head-banging rhythm. The guitar riffing is accompanied by plenty of double-bass drumming. The melodies are grim and orientally inspired. The vocals are growls and they vary between the deep to medium end of the guttural range. There are a few subtle changes in tempo and rhythm throughout the track. The melodic framework is diverse; there are epic elements as well as some dark melancholic parts. The break is a bit of restart with the acoustic guitars, while the main melodies and oriental vibes are maintained. While the break starts quiet, it is a slow building up to an extended and very contributing lead guitar solo. After the solo has finished, there is another restart with the acoustic guitars, which eventually circles back into a final verse/chorus part.

"Resurrected Primordials" has a frantic start with the blast-beats, transitioning into powerful verse part with tight guitar riffs, the double-bass, and the growls. The track is pretty hectic, with the drums almost acting like an independent player, while the guitar riffing and lead guitar contributions offer multiple layers to the track. There are several twists and turns during the track where also clean vocals are included. Highlight of the track is the fine lead guitar solo. "Conceiving Dreams To Quell Our Ruin" has a quiet start with the acoustic guitars. It is a tension-building beginning of the track, which also offers some progressive vibes. It all ends into a very powerful song at a measured tempo with thunderous guitar riffing, blast-beats, and double-bass sequences as well. The melodies are chilling and once again they have some oriental vibes. The vocals deliver versatility with many tonal shifts towards higher pitched growls. The lead guitar solo maintains the oriental vibes. After the solo, there is another twist, resulting in a short quiet period, however it does not take long as the track has another chorus part. "Bleeding Darkness Bound By Fire" is a kind of outsider track in terms of the length as it is a two and a half minutes frantic delivery of devastating guitar riffs, blast-beats, and growls. The melodies are somehow similar to those of the preceding tracks.

"You/I/Us" is introduced by the acoustic guitars and the clean vocals, which vary between the deep to medium end of the vocal range. It is a slow track and remains acoustic for the first three minutes. It transitions abruptly into thunderous guitar riffs, the double-bass, the blast-beats, and the growls. The melodies are spine-chilling. After the lead guitar solo, things calm down a bit for a short period and erupt then into mayhem with tight and powerful guitar riffs and the double-bass. There is another short lead guitar solo late on at breakneck speed, introducing a frantic finale of the track. "Cenotaph" has a fast blast-beat driven start with punishing guitar riffs going into the verse part. The guitar riffs are quite playful at times. "Cenotaph" offers a lot of chaos and little structure; there are tempo breaks and twists in rhythm throughout the track. The melodies are, even though with variations, familiar to those of the previous tracks, which becomes obvious during the final acoustic guitar sequence. Jake Dieffenbach (RIVERS OF NIHIL) delivers additional vocals. "Cenotaph" was uploaded on YouTube, and the link is provided below.

The album closes with "Syzygy", the longest track with almost 12 minutes playing time. The track is introduced by an extended acoustic guitar solo, which at some point is accompanied by the drums, and eventually transitions into thunderous guitar riffs at mid-tempo for the verse part. The growls are versatile and include a few higher pitched growls. The drumming includes plenty of double-bass, but also a few blast-beat attacks. The melodies once again follow oriental inspirations as on the entire album. As 12 minutes is a long time, there are many twists and turns, different vibes, and some experimentation with the sound. "Syzygy" is clearly an album highlight and altogether a fitting end to the album. OPHIDIAN MEMORY release an interesting album. "Seraphim" is not mainstream, it is a journey with plenty of steps beyond the paths of melodic Death Metal. The album fuses various Death Metal subgenres including progressive elements. All tracks are built upon different layers, and the result is not necessarily harmony in sound. The drumming often introduces chaos and mayhem. There is a lot of experimentation in the sound and as a result, a few songs are a bit lengthy. The melodies are often similar and orientally inspired. The album is well produced. "Seraphim" is about details and a listening experience. And it is a choice: either you walk away or you are caught by the "Seraphim".