Some records take their time with the runtime they take up. An hour-long album is very different from one that is half and hour. However, sometimes long albums seem to go by faster than even the shortest album, and vice versa. A 15-minute EP can have less flow and interest than that hour-long record. "Monuments of Bitterness," the debut album from Germany's RAPTVRE, is 40 minutes in length, but it feels like just half that.

This album flows so smoothly through the air, yet it is juxtaposed by the abrasiveness of the music itself. "Feast upon Their Flesh" introduces the record as a Technical Dissonant Blackened Death Metal record with strong influences from Progressive Metal. In other words, it is a lot to take in and might require multiple listens for full appreciation.

With the first track, the listener is barraged with an onslaught of intense, fast riffs with technical and blackened fury. Dissonance has been largely popularized by bands like ULCERATE, but Raptvre's form of dissonance is much more aggressive and hate-driven. Groove is implemented as a motif as the band shows a strength in songwriting.

The strength of the first track is imitated in the following seven tracks, and there is even further experimentation. "Echokammer" and "Devouring Mist" are both introduced with heavy, pounding Doom Metal-styled riffs. The former of the two is very unique for its interesting Progressive-style riffing later in the track with the hook being the use of saxophone. The saxophone solo belts out with strength, making this not only experimental but also ambitious.

"Shrouded" gives a fresh take as well. The riffs on this track are pummeling, and the dissonance and ferocity makes the title of the album, "Monuments of Bitterness," make perfect sense. In the middle of the track, there is a halt. Silence breaks the song while simultaneously keeping the flow of the track. The contrast to the harsh riffing is vast, yet it fits perfectly into the song, showing how this band can manipulate sound so flawlessly.

Outside of the music, each band member shines in their own talent. The drums are precise, and the fills keep up with the intense speeds with perfect implementation. The bassist shines by actually standing out. Bassists usually mimic the guitarists, but here, there are actual, memorable bass lines. As far as vocals go, they are most memorable for their experimentation and variety.

Raptvre released a perfect album in the Dissonant Technical Death Metal genre. Heavy in multiple influences, the album takes the listener on a rollercoaster of sounds while maintaining this sound efficiently throughout the entirety of the record. This is one of the few albums where I feel comfortable saying that almost every track is perfect, and each band member shines. Raptvre is a band that has chemistry, making them stand out as one of the most promising modern acts in Metal.