FRAUGHT is an extreme metal band from Dublin, Ireland who formed in 2020. “Transfixed On Dying Light” is their full length debut album but they have also released a demo and an EP. Their style includes several different genres....death, black, and sludge metal. The atmosphere is appropriately hellish and the music is gritty. The production/mix/mastering captures the mood of the album perfectly and the guitar tone is brutal when needed but doomy when it is called upon, especially the slower, thicker parts.

The album opens with “The Hunt,” and it begins with dismal riffs that build up to a more frantic tempo that is highlighted by the barrage of drums. The vocals go from low grunts to screaming highs at the turn of a hat and are always exciting to hear. The tempo varies from mid paced to bursts of speed, ensuring the song’s direction is hard to guess without being disjointed. “Indignities of Decay” has ultra heavy riffs but it’s the bass that adds massive weight to the song. The anvil heavy music is bolstered by the gurgling death growls and blackened rasps. This one is a banger but in a slower more methodical way than all out devastation. The lead guitar adds a nice element to the mix, highlighting the song yet providing effective contrast.

“Sublimated Misanthropy” is one of my favorites on the album. It has a somewhat horror vibe to it and a slight nervous energy. The bass is wonderful and does a fine job in capturing the atmosphere alongside the lead guitar. This song is a sludge/doom epic with an undeniable groove that acts as a slow crush. The title track finishes the album and it is a hell of a closing song. This is definitely a slow burn with a clean intro that lasts nearly two and a half minutes. I really dig that kind of setup so I found it very impressive. The vocals are extra brutal here and the song is a huge wall of sound that captures everything the previous tracks brought to the album while still being a highlight unto itself.

All in all, I found this to be a pretty solid album. It is extreme and aggressive but more in a subvert way than being more obvious. It has a lot of replay value because everything about it is so well done. I definitely gave it multiple spins to savor the meaty riffs and stalwart rhythms.