REDEMPTOR is a Technical Death Metal band from Kraków, Poland. "Agonia" is the group's fourth full-length album, released by Selfmadegod Records on December 3, 2021.

This is a phenomenal album! What we have here is not Technical Death Metal in the style of ATHEIST or even "Human"-era DEATH, but rather, something more akin to groups like GORGUTS, GOJIRA and NEUROSIS. The giant chords, the various changes in dynamics, and the ambient, reverb-soaked guitars mixed with heavy, chuggy riffs and ferocious blast beats make for a very interesting record. Michał Xaay Loranc's voice is bellowing and powerful, sounding especially like Joe Duplantier. Daniel Kesler's riffs tread the very fine line of melody and brutality with ease, and Hubert Więcek's shredding abilities ascend to dizzying heights throughout the album. And finally, Kamil Stadnicki and Daniel Rutkowski make a formidable rhythm duo.

The sheer musicality on this album makes it one of the best Death Metal records I've heard in a while. Take a track like "Further From Ordeal," for example. The amount of key changes (with the one in the middle especially being my favorite), tempo changes, and mixture of brutal riffs with orchestral elements makes for one very interesting song. I also love it when Death Metal bands break up their track listing with peaceful, instrumental songs, which is what makes the song "Aurora" a wonderful addition to this LP.

Other highlights from the album include "Tectonic Plates," which has an immediately noticeable NEUROSIS vibe before diving into some devastatingly heavy riffs; "Debris," which has one of the most incredible solos on the whole album; and "Les Ruines De Pompei," which evokes a feeling of true despair through its various dynamic shifts and emotionally chord progressions.

This is an album that I will definitely be listening to on repeat once this review is done. REDEMPTOR are true masters of their craft, and "Agonia" is a masterpiece, plain and simple. There are no if's, and's, or buts about it; I insist that you listen to this album, because you will be just as amazed as I am.