Death Metal quartet OVEROTH formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2005, with a "raw passion for no frills Death Metal." They release their debut LP "Kingdom of Shadows" in 2010, and now present their sophomore effort in 2017 titled "The Forgotten Tome." From their Facebook page, "This is OVEROTH - An uncompromising aural assault of raw aggression. This is death personified."

"Opus Obscura" is a short instrumental opener, setting the mood, and what a wondrous mood it sets. Quite unexpected for the genre in my opinion...it's symphonic in nature and with a noble and majestic quality. "Sigil of the Empty Throne" goes right for your throat, with a meaty riff and deep, Death vocals that are intelligible. The Symphonic elements swirling in the background and the ending piano notes add some real depth to the music. "Winter of Iniquity" is a mid-tempo slab of seasoned ribs, where the guitars drive the song for the most part. The riff is easy to follow and also very effective at establishing the abominable sound. "The Keeper" is a six-minute song that has alternating riff passages with varying speeds. In the vein of no frills Death Metal, that is what you are hearing here. One of the things I like about the track is that it doesn't cross over into the overly chaotic and sometimes absurd part of this genre.

The title track, "The Forgotten Tome," serves up a platter of rowdy bass drum kicks at break-neck speeds and some more of that symphony in the background that augment the eerie lead guitar breaks. "Leviathan Swallowed the Sun" is a two-minute track with haunting vocal chants, and low, fat tuba notes, along with some strings and the steady banging of what sounds like machinery in the background. The whole of these various elements really make for a great synergy that is chilling and exciting at the same time. "Mar the Gates" follows. To "mar" is to hurt, or damage something. This rich and weighted song will do just that to you. There is a tightness to the music that is executed with flawless timing. Even among the changes that abound, the band hits the accents immaculately. "Harbinger of the End Times" has a fast picked riff and some symphonic presence to go along with the heavy rhythm that threatens to pound you into a piece of sheet metal.

"Shadows in a Thousand Shades of Black" is the closing, seven-minute track. From the start, an abundant energy can he heard. Ever shifting, they really have created a memorable track here that is never content to linger on one over-done riff. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the amazing skills drummer Jay has on the kit, keeping the time and plowing through meter changes with categorical precision. OVEROTH have really created a wonderful and hulky loaf of Death Metal here that their peers in the genre would be well to take note of. Instead of trying to out-brutalize the next act, they approach their craft with meticulous accuracy and intelligence. Sure, it is still profuse in its attack so don't mistake this for "softer" by any means. But the synergy they achieve as a group is top notch.