The question “How much is too much” has been around for a long time now - especially in the tech-death realm. Bands like Equipoise, First Fragment, and its other contemporaries have discographies filled with technical grandiosity at unbelievable speed. Mostly, they are catered toward a specific niche of listeners and with time, these records have managed to gain popularity among people.
The latest act to enter the spotlight has been Acanthosis. Featuring Caleb Simard and Dominick Rochette, the duo handles most of the duties ranging from Composition, Guitars, Bass, Low Vocals, and Lyrics. It's worth noting that Caleb Simard is part of lesser-known setups like Vitrified Entity and Chiliasm, both of which are neoclassical tech-death bands and their debut records have gained a lot of traction. Enters Acanthosis with their newly released debut album “Scriptures of the Accursed”.
While Acanthosis was certainly more inclined towards the Slam/Brutal Death Metal realm on their EP “Self-Immolation Through Devotion of the Amalthea”, the band has shifted to a more technical and melodic space on this record. The opening track “Thirst of Knowledge” begins with a euphonic piano, before blasting with flashy techy riffs, with melodic lead lines. The dual-track of “Deep Scarlet” presents a unique blend of orchestration and melodic riffs. The songs slow down in moments, allowing other instruments in the mix to shine. “Deep Scarlet, Chapter II” is an instrumental track with heavy dynamic changes and a breathtaking bass solo.
“The Hallowed Balance, Chapter II” has moments of unpredictable rhythms with choppy riffs on top. The final track “Moonfall” stands out from other tracks in terms of the different approaches. The extensive use of acoustic guitar, not just in the intro but also in the intense parts certainly reminds me of “Ouroboric” by Equipoise. The use of dissonance-filled riffs and unconventional leads, and a proggy approach to its song structure makes me wonder how Gorguts would sound in the modern time.
The guitar wankery is so dense and intense on the album that it is pointless to go through track by track. Every track has an immense number of riffs that will certainly remind of Obscura. Combine that with melodic sequences of Rejuvenation and orchestration of Inferi, and intense lead guitar work of Necrophagist or First Fragment - that's what “Scriptures of the Accursed” sounds like in a nutshell.
It is a record with technical and melodic wizardry. It is an exhilarating record but the 34 minutes run-time might fatigue the listeners who are not used to these kinds of records. Regardless, “Scriptures of the Accursed” is phenomenal from its beginning to its end - something death metal nerds will totally dig.
Genre: Technical Death Metal / Melodic Death Metal
Label: Independent
