DE PROFUNDIS were formed in 2009 and they are from London, UK. They started as Doom and Death Metal band and moved towards traditional Death Metal in recent years. DE PROFUNDIS released so far one EP and five full-length albums. Their sixth release "The Corruption Of Virtue" was produced by Peter Dowsett, and it has a length of about 38 minutes. The album was released via Indian label Transcending Obscurity Records, which is specialized in Black, Doom, and Death Metal.

DE PROFUNDIS have certainly changed their sound over the years and the new album establishes them further in the world of a technical approach to Death Metal. The album opener "Ritual Cannibalism" has all the attributes of a great Death Metal track: speed, aggression, tight guitar riffing, deep lying growling vocals with a few higher pitched screams. The lead guitars add technicality and complexity. The DE PROFUNDIS sound is not as raw as the sound of other Death Metal fellows. The lead guitars provide a comprehensive melodic framework, and the lead guitar solo has even some Thrash Metal inspirations as well as some of the staccato type of riffing. "Sectarian Warfare" continues with frantic speed and flesh-ripping riffs. The drumming adds a few blast-beat parts to the mix; however, the track is driven by the guitar riffing. The mid-tempo break provides the basis for an extended and comprehensive lead guitar solo, and the bass lines also become more and more prominent. The lead guitars give almost a classical melodic theme, taking off the aggression during the middle part of the track.

"Relentless March" starts with a dark instrumental part at a slow and measured tempo, before it transitions into fast and dynamic track. The song is again very much driven by the tight riffing, the bass lines, and the relentless drumming, all nicely set into a grim, almost melancholic melodic frame. The lead guitar solo is the highlight of the track. "Weaponised Rape" is one of the fastest songs of the album. Played at insane speed for most of the time, it sounds almost a bit chaotic up to the mid-tempo break, where the lead guitars take over. Clearly, feature of the album are the complex, and at times, classical melodies of the lead guitars, supported by the bass lines. Finally, DE PROFUNDIS find back to the initial speed and aggression of the song. "Embrace Dystopia" has a very powerful start at slow pace, before it seamlessly transitions into another fast track. The song undergoes several changes in speed and rhythm. The trademark element of the DE PROFUNDIS sound, the mid-tempo lead guitar contributions are central to "Embrace Dystopia", where the melodies are melancholic. For me, "Embrace Dystopia" is one of the album highlights.

"Desecrating Innocence" starts fast right from the beginning with a series of sharp riffing which are almost Thrash inspired. The vocals are a bit more versatile by including a few higher pitched growls and screams. Central part of the song is again the mid-tempo break with the lead guitar solo. Feature here is the very smart transition back to the fast verse part, while the lead guitar solo still keeps going on. "Desecrating Innocence" was released as promo video by the label and the YouTube link is given below. "Religious Cancer" starts with a thunderous pre-lude and transitions into track of insanity and madness in terms of pace, aggression, and riffing. The guitar riffing is the driving force of the track alongside the drums and the crunching bass lines. The riffing is more playful compared to the other tracks on the album. The middle part is dominated by the lead guitars and the bass, where the solo is a mixture of mid-tempo and high pace. While "Weaponised Rape" is already crazy in terms of speed, "Religious Cancer" is even crazier.

"Scapegoat" starts with a grim guitar intro at a slow, almost stomping rhythm. It does not take too long for the high-speed assault to continue. The mid-tempo part is introduced by a short bass solo accompanied by the lead guitars, which transitions into a relatively short lead guitar solo. "Scapegoat" has a very clean verse/chorus structure with a mid-tempo break. It is one the most direct tracks on the album and does hardly include the playfulness of the other tracks on the album. The album closes with "The Sword Verses", a track at mid-tempo, driven by the dark and melancholic melodies provided by the lead guitars and the riffing. It is one of those songs with a complex classical melodic theme as the focal point of the song. Drums, bass lines and vocals are built around it. "The Sword Verses" is certainly not characteristic regarding pace and aggression, but it stands for the melodic approach of the album. It is a doomy way to close out "The Corruption Of Virtue".

DE PROFUNDIS release arguably one of their best albums to date. "The Corruption Of Virtue" combines speed and aggression with melodic elegance. The album is technically very comprehensive, predominantly driven by the guitar work. The guitar riffing offers a clever mixture of directness and playfulness, and the lead guitar contributions are among the highlights on the album. DE PROFUNDIS create their very own and unique Death Metal sound with a very mature songwriting. The album is well produced. Traditional Death Metal fans with a soft spot for complex melodies will surely dig the album and be delighted to see DE PROFUNDIS live on stage.