On October 31st, 2019, QAYIN REGIS released their highly anticipated first full-length album "Doctrine." This follows their debut EP titled "Blackthorn" released in 2017. QAYIN REGIS, hailing from Spain, plays blackened death metal focused on the mysterious and the occult. Though not an atmospheric black metal band, the trio nevertheless manages to create a dark atmosphere that is difficult to put into words. However, it is still my job as a reviewer to do so.

The sound of the record is richly textured and well paced. A grim aura pervades the album, due in part to the mostly restrained guitar melodies and riffs. Discordant twangs from the guitar echo through the haze. Meanwhile, the drumming ranges from measured rhythms to all out blast beats, complementing the moments of foreboding and the moments of uncontrolled chaos. The music conjures up images of shrouded figures in dark hoods casting incantations in a dark cave lit only by candles. You have walked in on a secret ritual and this is the soundtrack.

The opening track is "Via Sincretica Obscura." The beginning of the track starts off slow but with a deep intensity given by the low, droning guitars. Blast beats intermittently pick up the pace, without the track losing any intensity. Growls and snarls are quieter in the mix, swirling ominously through the thick instrumentation. "Yee Naaldlooshii," the following track, is sonically similarly to the opening track: dark, pulsating riffs that change in tempo throughout the track. Sinister spoken chanting reverberates in the background, leaving the listener straining to hear the ritual.

Track three "Neenia Ataecina" continues in the vein of the first two tracks. Notably, it also contains an instance of a wailing guitar solo, which really helps break up what could have been a monotonous record. The closing track "Deo Aironis" is the longest at close to 12 minutes in length. Thankfully, it doesn't feel like it drags on. The song is a masterful mix of elements from black and death metal.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this album. This is music that doesn't only claim to delve into occult themes, but actually takes you on a journey to dark realms. While the album can be a bit one-note, the band has gone with a theme and executed it extremely well. It isn't a technically showy or catchy riff heavy album, but it doesn't need to be. It is enjoyably evil black/death metal.