This four-piece death metal band from Tilberg, Netherlands, emerged in 1990 and has since carved a place within the darker side of the genre.  “Devoid of Light” their sixth studio album delves even deeper into macabre themes with lyrics that are both grim and chilling.  Black metal vibes are woven into their music through icy melodies, and fast tempos which adds some variation across the album’s tracks, whilst still staying true to their death metal roots. Earlier albums reflect influences from bands like Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Infernal Majesty, and Bathory, while their later works draw inspiration from death metal pioneers like Autopsy and Death.

The album opens with “The Withering Stench of Hope”, a track that immediately sets the tone with its sickly, rotting atmosphere. Guttural vocals and blast beats drive the sound forward, while dissonant guitars and sharp, melodic solo’s weave in the blackened influences. The lyrics are harrowing, intense and firmly rooted in death, establishing a bleak and unrelenting mood that runs throughout the entire album. The title track “Devoid of Light” opens with a slow, brooding build before launching into relentless blast beats and harsh demonic vocals that speak of hopelessness and the shadows at night. Repetitive short melodic guitar riffs intertwine with a bleak, ambient backdrop, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Shifts in tempo and intensity keep the track engaging and it closes with a slow fade of dissonant, unsettling guitar.

“Funeral Throne” storms the pit in a full on assault-fast, heavy, and unyielding. Chaos erupts, total and consuming.  Then, just as suddenly, it ends, leaving behind a deathly silence. “In Writhing Rapture” kicks off with a familiar onslaught from the rhythm section – tight, pummeling and inexorable before descending, about two thirds in, into warped dissonant riffing and soaring melodic solo’s that slice through the chaos with surgical brutality. “Cancerous Bane” opens with blood curdling vocals and lyrics that dig into the concept of a treacherous all consuming cancer. The track changes tempo at intervals and is driven by a repetitive ominous melody that is laced with more dissonant tones, adding to its bleak, creepy atmosphere. “Unending Hunt”, “Ash Drapes the Earth” and “In the Shade of the Devil’s Horns”  each with their unsettling themes continue the brutality until the album closes appropriately with 

“Triumphant Death”, the longest slowest track on the album.  Sustained background bass and steady, pounding drums create a foundation that feels heavy and ominous.  The track slowly expands, layering sound with purpose. The vocals are choked, as if gasping for air, perfectly matching the oppressive mood. A slow, melodic guitar solo brings a touch of melancholy. At times, the pacing borders on a funeral march-deliberate and somber. It all closes with a fading bass, a final gurgling breath and the distant sound of rain and thunder. Very atmospheric.

After six years in the shadows, this release by ANTROPOMORPHIA  is a gift for fans of extreme death metal with a blackened edge. The band clearly remain rooted in their brutal origins. While the tracks follow familiar structures there is always a wicked twist – whether it’s a dissonant tremolo passage, a sudden blast of cold melody, or an unhinged solo that keeps things a little unpredictable.