DISTANT, the acclaimed downtempo deathcore band from The Netherlands has released the continuation of their story of Tyrannotophia, the realm of the doomed and world damnation. The band issued its debut EP, "Slither," in 2015 and has been on an upward trajectory ever since, with each new release expounding on the previous story.

The album, released on UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS, features cover art designed by CALEAN STOKKERMANS, who has designed album covers for such kick-ass metal bands as THE ACACIA STRAIN and MISERY INDEX. Along with the album's concept, DISTANT says the artwork depicts the precise moment the 'Ashen Kingdom' falls and the events prefacing the 'Dawn Of Corruption' era.

As misery spreads across Tyrannotophia, excitement builds in the kingdom of the listener. All six tracks of this brutal show of force display a deeply rooted foundation of deathcore, adding in enough slam to create something that's not only new but exciting. The opening track is "The Offering." To simply say it's impressive is to do it a disservice. Brutal from beginning to end, the only complaint is that it isn't longer. The track sets the bar high right away and is not only theatrical but technical.

Track two, "Dusk Of Anguish" is the title track and features JOHN ROBERT C. of THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE. Doom metal is at the heart of this masterpiece, and the change-ups are intense and insanely perfectly placed. Head-shaking, jaw-dropping sickness collides with mayhem deathcore to create a ridiculously unmerciful adventure. The dual vocals alone are enough to rip your head off, but the guitar work and relentless drumming make it a downright massacre of the most glorious kind.

The third song on "Dusk of Anguish" is the industrial metal darkcore funeral march, "The Eternal Lament." Bitter and wicked until the very end, this track has a blackened metal heart with drums to match. Soul-stirring and vicious, the song is elegantly executed and thick as all hell.

"Cryogenesis," the fourth track, includes a guest vocal appearance by LOCHIE KEOGH of ALPHA WOLF and some seriously industrial elements. Low and heavy, this ride through the sludgy depths is sickening, and personally, this reviewer loved every moment of it. After repeating the track twice, it was clear that "Cryogenesis" would be hard to top for a favorite. Fun Fact: The drop at 2:15 is nothing short of pure sex and worth the cost of the album alone.

"Graveborn," track five is a raucous deathcore track that, although it has all the correct elements, still doesn't take first place as this album's heaviest-hitter. "Graveborn" is a solid song and will undoubtedly be something to experience at a live venue in the future.

Closing out "Dusk of Anguish" is the sixth and final song, "Rakva." This ending track has a surprise in store and one that is quite literally jaw-dropping. Never one to give up secrets, this reviewer can only say there are hella plenty of reasons that this track should be on every deathcore fan's favorites of 2021 playlist. "Dusk of Anguish" is a conceptual album, no doubt. And a damn good one, to be sure. This album is worth a listen.