Black Metal quartet IRDORATH formed in Carinthia, Austria, in 2005. Three prior full-length albums were released by the band in 2007, 2010, and 2013; with the first two titles in their native Austro-Bavarian dialect. "Denial of Creation" is the band's fourth, and contains ten new tracks. "Devoured by Greed" leads off the album, with a sound that walks the line between traditional Speed/Thrash Metal and Black Metal. The guitar riffs hold both varieties of these genres at various times, while the vocals are the blackness of the latter. Lead guitar harmonies also add some layering here which keeps things sounding fresh. "Trail of Redemption" is a bit slower, and a bit more crushing and pulverizing from the guitars. One thing I enjoy for sure are the riff and time changes at unexpected times. If you are too idle the sound can be stale but that is not the case here.

"The Curse that Haunts the Earth" has some haunting acoustical guitar work in the beginning that immediately build a mood. Think of what the mood of a curse would be in a musical medium, and this is what you have...depressing, dark and bleak. "Purification" is a bit quicker and opens with some impressive drum pyrotechnics. The shifting of passages of time is really dependent on the drummer and Thomas does a fine job here of turning on a dime when the music calls for it. There is a striking desolation in this track that you just can't ignore. "Covenant of the Unbound" has some tricky guitar parts that showcase a tight rhythm section and some absolutely evil vocals that remind you that sometimes there are real things that go bump in the night, as they say. "In the Name of Decay" is more on the Thrash side of the genre but still with those frightening aspects of Black Metal that make it exciting and invigorating. A less than traditional take on "The Lord's Prayer" in spoken word makes this point.

The title track, "Denial of Creation," is a seven minute affair, at first with slow, deliberate movement and a sound that is very depressive. The crux of the album title and anti-religious themes drive the hatred in the lyrics. It picks up speed in alternating passages, leaving you at times wresting with anger vs. despair. "Die Rache des Baumes" is the closing bonus track. It's chaotic at times and straightforward at other, with the guitar riffs driving the sound, and some various vocal approaches are used along the way. Overall, I found the album to my liking, and if you are a fan of both or either genres, I think you will appreciate the way they were able to blend the two into a product that is both pummeling and depressing at the same time.