HERESIARCH is a black/death metal band from New Zealand that formed in 2008. The band’s latest album, “Edifice,” is their second full-length. They have also released a demo, two EPs, a compilation, and two splits. This is my first exposure to their music and I am already impressed with their sound. Although definitely blackened death, they are more on the brutal side of things. I appreciate anything blackened that isn’t afraid to pummel and destroy—this album certainly does too. Simply put, this is an aggressive and violent album. I love that decayed atmosphere too, due in large part to their tendencies to offer up elements of doom metal in their songs. Despite their all rage and fire, they aren’t afraid to slow things down and offer up a more introspective dynamic.

The album opens with “Forged Doctrine,” that is like a bomb going off, an explosion that immolates everything. The vocals go from growls to blackened screams at the drop of the hat….very exciting and adds so much to the song. The doom elements I mentioned permeate the opening moments of “Noose Above The Abyss,” creating a twisted atmosphere that is sick as hell. The drums, which are tight as hell and can’t be quite human, speed up the song with bursts of hellish gusto. But the dirty, grimy and sweltering riffs, especially at the halfway point, are the highlight for me. This song is evil and great.

“Tides of Regression,” sounds ancient and arcane but still just as unrelenting as the other songs. This one is basically a freight train and doesn’t stop other than to back up and make sure you were properly shredded and, if you weren’t, you surely will be. Around the 4:00 mark, the song is a wall of noise that speeds up into another frenzy, like sharks out for blood, before slowing down once more. Love it. “Of Mystic and Chaos,” makes more punch into its 45 second runtime than some bands do in a full song. Absolutely nothing but carnage and unadulterated passion for violence.

The album ends with “Militate Pyrrhic Collapse,” and it’s well titled because it teeters on the edge of breakdown into utter madness. I interpret the first half of the song as a society people oppressed to the point of breaking, then the full collapse around the the 4:43 mark begins. This is perhaps my favorite song on the album. It’s tragic, doomy, brutal, and perfectly melds their dynamics together. HERESIARCH’s “Edifice” has impressed the hell out of me and I wonder where this band has been all my life. Any fan of music that is constantly against the grain and pushing itself to the next level needs to check this out.