DEVOTION hailing from Valencia, Spain were formed in 2013. The Death Metal outfit release their third full-length album. It has a length of almost 44 minutes. The album was released via Spanish label Memento Mori, which has many Doom and Death Metal bands among their current roster. After the tension-building intro “The Passing”, the album starts with the powerful “Horror Beyond The Stars”. It is a mid-tempo song driven by direct and aggressive riffing and many blast-beats. The growling vocals are at the low end of the guttural range with little variation towards higher growls. The pace of the track remains constant during the verse and chorus parts, however, there is a change in tempo and rhythm for the break. It is a long break at a sluggish pace leading to the lead guitar solo. “Horror Beyond The Stars” is a promising opening track making appetite for more. “Execration” starts slow and with grim melodies transitioning into a frantic verse part at fast pace with again simple riffing. The focus is put on doom-laden melodies, which is evident during the extended break at a measured tempo. The break is driven by the lead guitar contributions providing the melodies. “Execration” eventually circles back to the blistering pace of the verse parts, which includes also a couple of tonal shifts towards higher pitched screams. The sound continues with “In Ungraven Tombs”, which is a mixture of parts at crazy pace and measured tempo with a stomping rhythm. The melodic framework of the track is spine-chilling, but very similar to the preceding track. Highlight is the contributing lead guitar solo.

 “The Cosmic Pilgrims” starts with an extended instrumental part driven by the orientally inspired lead guitar melodies. The track is a mixture of mid-tempo for the verse parts and measured tempo for the chorus parts. The riffing is tight and simple but effective during the verse parts and thunderous during the chorus parts. The lead guitar solo is again the highlight of the track as it drives the bone-chilling melodies. “The Cosmic Pilgrims” is one of the best album tracks. “The Wake” is a dark atmospheric and cinematic inter-lude, transitioning seamlessly into “To Dementia” which starts with powerful riffs leading into a verse part at mid-tempo where the riffing becomes tighter. The verse parts are again simple and direct, while the bridge leading to the chorus parts is a bit more playful. The vocals are slightly more versatile as a few higher notes are utilized during the chorus. The break slows down the tempo and the melodies delivered by the guitars introduce more darkness. “To Dementia” was uploaded to YouTube by the label, and the link is provided below.

 As the album tracks pass by, I noticed a certain repetition in the melodic framework and “The Seething Universe” is not different from other tracks in that aspect. However, after some mid/tempo and down-tempo tracks, it was refreshing to hear that “The Seething Universe” contains at least some flesh-ripping, pummeling parts at crazy pace, which was a great change. It is a track for the pit and one of my album favorites. The title track starts with a grim pre-lude transitioning into verse part at a measured tempo with a sluggish rhythm. Things come to life at the seamless switch to the bridge at high pace, while the chorus part goes back to down-tempo. There are several twists to crazy pace and the short lead guitar solo is played blisteringly fast. “Astral Catacombs” is with almost seven minutes the longest track of the release. The atmospheric outro “The Evanescence” closes the album.

 DEVOTION deliver a decent traditional Death Metal album. “Astral Catacombs” is driven by its simplicity and directness of the riffing and the spine-chilling melodic framework. There is little technicality throughout the album. The vocals are relatively monotone with little tonal shifts however, this fits well into the overall sound of the album. Many songs sound similar in terms of riffing and melodies. The album production sounds a bit muddy at times. “Astral Catacombs” is an album for old school Death Metal fans, and I am sure that many of them will like what they hear.