MAZE OF SOTHOTH formed in 2009 in Italy. Following the release of a Demo and Split, they present their full-length debut album here, entitled "Soul Demise," which contains ten tracks. Dealing with themes of horror and the works of HP Lovecraft, it is a Death Metal palate in the sounds of forefathers VOMITORY, MORBID ANGEL, VADER and MAVETH. The two-minute instrumental "Cthulhu's Calling" leads to the assault of "Lies." The instruments work together in a heavy dissonance, cued by blast beat drumming and a running guitar riff that threatens to shred fingertips. Pig squeals accent some of the rhythms, and deep growls surface as vocals. If you are looking for melody, look elsewhere. "Seed Of Hatred" is about the same pace, but shorter in length, punishing your senses with a relentless attack. Some riff changes keep you on your toes. "Multiple Eyes" has a chugging rhythm, and guitars that could perform the surgery of a glistening buzz saw, slicing through flesh and bone without the slightest of hesitation.

"The Outsider" is a scorching track that highlights the pyrotechnics of the band members with their instruments. The drumming is impossibly fast. A sudden drop off of sound leads to the end of the track, building some mystery. "The Dark Passenger" is really the first song that diverts a bit from the brutality of the previous tracks. Don't get me wrong, it is still as heavy as uranium, but there are some more discernable patterns here and there to go along with the chaotic lead guitar. "At The Mountain Of Madness" presents a Doomy sound, like you were facing an undead ruler of the lands, gazing up at his horrific glory at the foot of an icy cold mountain, with howling winds that bite through your very soul. "Blind" goes about as dark and deep as you could hear in the genre, with a pulverizing rhythm that could raise the dead from their graves. "Divine Sacrifice" closes the album, with an array of various techniques that highlight the musicianship of the band.

I have no doubt that Death Metal fans will find this brutal plate of bloody brains and torn up flesh to their liking. The instrumentation is impossibly tight, and the vocals are deep enough to stir the underworld. Yog-Sothoth is a cosmic entity in the world of H.P Lovecraft, often taking the form of a conglomeration of spheres. He knows all, and sees all, and is reported to favor the sacrifice of humans. Conjuring this image as you absorb the album allows you to take in the themes of omnipotence and death within the confines of the music. Listen to it and hand over your soul in the name of darkness.