The solo project of Patrick Brown, HERXHEIM are back with a new EP titled "Contrapasso." Brown is certainly to be counted among the most important metal artists of the last decade thanks to the underground success of HOWLS OF EBB, with whom he released a handful of seminal albums that contributed to rewriting the canons of black and death metal. Perhaps even more primitive, weird and intense than HOB, HERXHEIM are no different and in "Contrapasso" Brown writes some of his best compositions. The amalgam of brutal vocals and his killer guitar riffs unleash an almost tangible electricity, burning and destroying everything in its path. The result is a monstrous, violent and bestial black-thrash EP, which recalls CELTIC FROST, early VOIVOD and ORDER FROM CHAOS, of which today HERXHEIM are undoubtedly the most credible and inspired heirs.

“The Surrogate” is first. Right off the bat, the unusual chord progressions are striking, and the vocals sound horrid, toggling between screams and low, clean gutturals that sound like they are slowed down electronically. There is a riff structure, but it is dissonant and uncommon, and some might even call the Progressive. It picks up, and in a juxtaposition, the sound begins to descend into utter madness. “The Anointed” begins with spoken word, telling a harrowing tale, followed by another powerful and discordant riff. The production of the album so far is pretty raw, purposely, so that the horrid sound can really soak in. Again, it picks up in pacing around the half way mark, and things begin to become chaotic. The harrowing grind soon returns however, and takes the song to completion.

“The Enchanted” is another filthy and dirty offering…the kind that you need to take a bath after listening to, and the vocals sound like they come from the mouth of Satan himself. Layers are added as the song flows, bringing more and more frightening elements to the battle, but it ducks in and out of passages with a quieter sonority. “And Their Pyrrhic Victories” closes the album. It’s the shortest on the album, and perhaps the fastest pace. The riffs echo with effects as they chug along the ground, eating everything in their path. Overall, the album is full of odd time structures, harrowing elements, and a black filth that will cover the listener from head to toe. Fans of Black and/or Death Metal will find plenty to like here, and sounds that are outside the box.