Psycroptic - Divine Council (Review)

Hailing from the tiny, frosty, untamed, and detached Australian state that is Tasmania, Psycroptic has become an unparalleled act in an enigmatic worldwide movement commonly known as death metal. Many years have passed since their formation in 1999, the band has released 7 albums all of which show an organic progression along a clandestine path from which they will never stray. The eighth album titled “Divine Council” is the follow-up to 2018’s “As The Kingdom Drowns”, and is scheduled to be released in August this year, via Prosthetic Records.

“Divine Council” is a power-packed record, along the same margins as the new Exocrine and Soreption albums, which dropped a few months ago. The Tasmanian boys are known for their groovy, catchy songwriting, and this album is no exception. From the intro track “Rend Asunder” itself, Psycroptic wastes no time in showcasing their groove brutality. Easily one of the best songs of the album, this one is a straight-on banger. “A Fool’s Errand” has a lot of dynamic changes like Soreption with passages like that of Alustrium. “This Shadowed World” gives off major Arkaik vibes, while maintaining a progressive tendency to itself, which flows to “Enslavement” as well. With catchy melodies overall and atmospheric passages mixed in, this one is a breath of fresh air. The intro to “The Prophet’s Council” transports you to a fantasy middle-easter land, which then bleeds to the slow-paced, calming vibe of the song.

“Ashes of Our Empire” stands tall with its vicious grooves, while the tapping phrases instantly remind me of Aethra-era Gorod. “Awakening” is rather a slow, paced track with highly dissonance-based riffs and overall a darker overtone. “A Fragile Existence” is like a powerful slingshot - grooves with techy riffs and shred blasts that hit right in the face. Also, the backing vocals are beautiful and work for me - easily one of the favorite tracks from the album. With the ultimate track “Exitus”, it all comes in a complete circle. With riffs that call back to “Rend Asunder” and combined with the atmospheric elements, it feels like an epic conclusion to a magnificent album!

“Divine Council” rises up from its previous releases both in terms of quality songwriting and production. With nine tracks and filled with tight songwriting, this album doesn’t disappoint me a bit. The production has thoroughly improved, perfectly capturing the modern tech-death sound with each instrument sounding with utmost clarity. For me, this record truly works like a magic and straight up goes for this year’s AOTY contender. It just gets better with every listening, and who knows…it might land on 1st spot!

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Website: Psycroptic Facebook

Genre: Technical Death Metal

Label: Prosthetic Records

Worldwide Release: August 5, 2022.