SEPULCHRAL hailing from Bilbao, Spain were formed in 2016. The Death Metal band released so far two demos and one EP. "From Beyond The Burial Mound" is their debut full-length album. It was recorded by the band, mixed and mastered by Gorka Perez at OI Studios. The album has a length of almost 40 minutes and it was released via Dutch label Soulseller Records, which has a number of Black, Thrash, and Doom Metal bands among their roster.

The album starts with an atmospheric intro including spoken words, before the old school Death Metal onslaught starts with "Harbor Of Drifting Souls". It sounds like being back in the early 90s, being back to the roots of Swedish Death Metal with bands like ENTOMBED or DISMEMBER. It is raw, it has the buzzsaw sound of the guitars, and it has the growling vocals at the medium end of the guttural range. "Harbor Of Drifting Souls" is faster than mid-tempo with a monotone rhythm without any variations. It includes a contributing lead guitar solo with simple, but effective melodies. The song is the official track stream on YouTube with the link given below. "Ceremony Of Putrefaction" has the same monotone rhythm as "Harbor Of Drifting Souls", the riffing is also very similar, there are a few blast-beats added to the mix. The song includes a mid-tempo break with dark riffing and crunching bass lines.

If there would not be breaks between the tracks, the listener would have problems to distinguish songs at times. However, that all does not matter since listening to the album is fun regardless. "Sepulchral Fumes" is slightly more distinguishable from the other tracks with a few more rhythm changes, slightly different riffing, more double-bass drumming, and a lead guitar solo that is more technical compared to the few others on the album. "Cursed Epitaph" goes back to the monotony of the mid-tempo drumming without changing textures. The guitar riffing is also kept very simple as well as the vocals. Despite of or because of that simplicity, "Cursed Epitaph" fits perfectly into the conceptual framework of the album.

"Coffin Miasma" has a fast and aggressive start with dark and powerful riffing. There are several changes in rhythm including a short down-tempo part that has a grim lead guitar part. It seems that "Coffin Miasma" is the beginning to a darker part of the album. "Tombstone Thrower" is a spine-chilling track with doom-laden riffing and melodies. The track starts with an almost two minute's instrumental part before a scream straight from the abyss introduces the vocal part. The track is as simple as the others, but with a surprising finale.

"Caravan Of Putrid Flesh" and "Bastards Of The Grave" go back to the well-tried formula of the album. Both are fast songs. While "Caravan Of Putrid Flesh" includes a mid-tempo break, "Bastards Of The Grave" is in principle an instrumental with a few riffs and a few screams for most of the time. There are a couple of vocal lines near the end of the track and a few changes in pace and rhythm. "Blood Freak" is a cover song from US Death Metal icons NECROPHAGIA and I like the SEPULCHRAL version with the down-tuned guitars more than the original. The album closes with "Eyes Like Burning Catacombs" and it starts with an extended guitar part which builds up atmosphere, before it erupts into the relentless riffing machine of the guitars. The drumming includes a few blast-beats, and there is also a very welcoming mid-tempo break where the lead guitars take over until the track is fading out.

SEPULCHRAL deliver a decent debut album. "From Beyond The Burial Mound" is an old school Death Metal album inspired by the Swedish buzzsaw guitars. SEPULCHRAL do not re-invent the wheel, they keep the wheel spinning for around 40 minutes. The sound of the album is often a bit monotone, in particular the drumming. A few more changes in rhythm, riffing, and more comprehensive drumming would have kept the album fresher and more dynamic. The album production is raw and it all sounds like a Death Metal album from the early 90s. "From Beyond The Burial Mound" is an album for traditional Death Metal fans and I am sure many of them will dig the album.