ICHOR is a modern Death Metal band that, despite their German origins, is not very technically inclined. This isn't a bad thing, in fact, they are very good at what they do, that being Blackened Death Metal/Deathcore with a lot of atmosphere. "Hadal Rising" is the fourth album from the deep sea-themed Death Metal band. The sound I'm getting from this album is a mix of Death Metal and Deathcore. It's got the riff style and dissonance of Deathcore acts like SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, but it also isn't tuned down to drop Z with distortion turned up to 11. There are also riffs that say it's normal, Atmospheric Death Metal like a modern MORBID ANGEL. "Tales from the Depths" is a good example of their use of Deathcore and Death Metal riffs.

The songwriting on this album is very basic. It's nothing too complex, but it's also very effective. Everything plays out the way I assume it was intended, and it all sounds good. The riffs are all very simplistic, making it easy to assume that they focused more on the atmospheric inputs of the guitar for this album. The only riff-centric song on here is "Black Dragons," a song that also has nice lead work. "In Ecstasy" is a good example of the focus on atmosphere over riffage. The riffs are all very simple, being repeated two or four times, then being repeated for another two or four times with backing atmosphere added on by a slightly distorted guitar.

It is very obvious that this album is all about atmosphere and depth, and, as someone who writes similarly, I appreciate this. It's a good album to listen to in a serene environment because of its inspiring melodies and themes that penetrate one's consciousness and boost imagination. The only applicable area where this album does not excel in is memorability. None of the riffs are really unique enough to stand out to me after finishing the album. The atmospheres are great in the moment, but they do not last after the 40 minutes of this album are up. The most memorable song for me was "Architect of the Portal" because of its NILE-like chorus and outro. "Hadal Ascending" is full of interesting themes and ideas, but it never comes off as impactful once the album ends.