RITES OF DAATH is a Polish death/doom band formed in 2017.  They released an EP in 2017 and their latest "Doom Spirit Emanation," is their first full length album. This isn't the typical death/doom album, at least in terms of how the songs are presented. Rather than slow, grinding tunes with a growling vocalist backed by non stop double bass, the death metal elements are more represented by the tempo and the style of riffs.  Much like INCANTATION and ASPHYX, the band doesn't mix death and doom so much as they switch back and forth between the styles when appropriate.  There are also some heavy black metal elements as well, which adds a dash of wild chaos to their already potent sound.

This approach works very well for "Doom Spirit Emanation," especially in the production aspect.  The overall sound presented across the six track, 38 minute run time is raw. This is a black and brutal trip through a cave system of nightmares. This isn't a happy album. You aren't going to find the feel good hit of the summer here. This isn't even an album you'll play to non believers in hopes of getting them into metal. The average mainstream pleb just isn't going find anything of value here. But for those of us who like rough music like this, a rewarding experience awaits within this album's six tracks. The production is raw but it works for the band's abrasive style. What doesn't work, however, is the mixing because often times buries the vocals.

The opening, and title track, is "Doom Spirit Emanation," and it pretty much sets up the tone of the remaining five tracks.  The bass and drums are a loud, powerful rumble that shakes the song to the core but the guitars weave through the destruction with their deadly riffs, fused with ever approaching yet ominous danger.  The vocals only had to the overall destitution and the song is the soundtrack to being dropped into a deep it and left to die.  The mid portion is especially power, the guitar riffs casting their incantations with blackened groove. Later in the song, higher pitched wails appear seemingly out of no where and it is spine chilling.

The next track, "The Accursing Tongues," is an immediate barrage of riffs, drums, and those chilling wails mixed with the low death growls that are a beast in their own right.  I love how the drums double down just before the song gets even heavier, perfectly acting as a foundation that sets up the rest of the song. "Shrines of Seclusion," is one of my favorites from the album, especially the drums that continue their goal of never letting up for a second but also having the fortitude to help progress things.  This track has some very slight melody that goes a step further and shines more light in the darkness, but revealing more hopelessness rather than a way out of the nightmare.

"Primeval Depths of Chaos," is the album's centerpiece and nearly eleven minutes in length.  It is very death metal focused and has many of the album's best riffs.  Around the three minute mark, the riffs grow even more dense and slow down to let the extreme doom take over.  It is quite the experience and it casts a huge shadow over the rest of the song, in a good way of course.  After about four minutes, the song slows to a crawl for a doom/death dirge that further plunges the music down to the depths.  To its credit, the track never feels like it is eleven minutes long and is a constant highlight.

"The Chasm," is the exact opposite.  Not only it is under four minutes in length but its more focused on killing through speed and searing riffs than a more doom approach, although the atmosphere is definitely there. There isn't a lot to this track but it pummels from beginning to end.  This will probably kill live, if shows ever happen again. The final track is "Mercurian Blood," and it is a goddamn ripper!  The guitars have that buzz saw sound and the vocals are just explosive, casting fire and brimstone over them. I mean, this song is so sharp it will cut your open.

"Doom Spirit Emanation" is an album that is best listened to straight through, especially considering it is under 40 minutes in length. I'm not saying the songs can't be enjoyed on an individual basis (they can) but the cavernous experience is all the more encompassing if you take this intense, hellish journey from beginning to end.