From Bandcamp, “SHRINE OF DENIAL are blending styles and forging their own sound, and channeling it through narrative, superbly thought out structures that despite the twists and turns remain memorable. Perhaps it is a Turkish trait to have the songs this meticulously written, and to achieve that they have used elements of both death and black metal in varying degrees, often blurring the boundaries between the two in the process. The result is exhilarating, as the band effortlessly switches from fast, blasting parts to slow melodic hooks and then quickly accelerates back to their high-speed mode, using whatever stylistic liberties available. It is an engaging, intense and stirring album that don’t get carried away and goes beyond what is necessary or appropriate; despite the vagaries, it remains solid, cohesive and impactful throughout. For what it does, “I, Moloch” is one of the strongest albums not only to come out of that region in recent times but also in the blackened death metal style as a whole.”

The album has eight songs, and “Climbing Through Nothingness” is first. The opening tones are low, slow, and tinged with Death Metal. From there, it speeds up, with blast beat drumming and in come some Black Metal riffs. I like how they ride a fine line between the two styles. “A Sanctuary in the Depths of the Realms” has a similar sound, both in the vocals and the riffing, and I hope that the band can provide a little diversity. The title track carries with it a bit more power, especially in the drum and cymbal strikes, but again, the vocals are delivered in nearly the exact same manner as the previous songs. “Pillars of Ice” is really the first song with some diversity, beginning with a dark and slow grind that is more Black Metal sounding, but in comes the previous tendencies once again.

“The Mesmer” is another uncompromising sound. However, this is a tricky descriptor to hand you hat on in my opinion. It means that they band plows forward without regard for convention or what their fans might be expecting. In this case, it is just too predictable. “Oneiros” has some dissonant riffs but again, the uniform Death Metal sound returns. “Headless Idol” showcases the band’s tight and cohesive performance, but because there is little variation, I can’t appreciate the level of musicianship as much as I want to. “Temple of the Corpse Misuser” closes the album, and again, it’s more of the same.  This was indeed a cohesive listening experience, but therein lies my biggest concern with the album.  Too many of the songs sounded alike and therefore the album blended together, offering little outside of their strong musicianship.