For Bilbao's Altarage, success and acclaim have come rather quickly. The Spanish death metal quartet vaulted into the spotlight last year with their full-length debut, NIHL. The spotlight seems a little ironic for a band whose members remain unknown and their faces covered with black cloth. As one can guess, little is known about the members behind the music. Yet, what is certainly evident is their relentless, blackened death has built up quite a following. Thankfully fans do not wait too long for new music. Altarage is back this October with their second full-length album, Endinghent; and if it is anything this new track, "Fold Eksis", then death metal undoubtedly has another excellent effort amongst its ranks in 2017.
Much like some of blackened death metal's elite (see Portal or Ævangelist), Altarage capitalizes on a sense of abyss. Their dark, spiraling music conveys existential dread. All they need is three minutes to showcase this phenomenon. The density of instrumentation within "Fold Eksis" is claustrophobic and the relentless pace becomes almost suffocating. Jarring shifts in drum patterns and swirling riffs are towering walls that close in and surround the listener in darkness. The echoing howls of a masked vocalist do little to ease discomfort as well. Much of the qualities that made NIHL excellent persist, yet there is significant growth that can be heard within the layers of their new music if you listen closely; there a subtle, newfound complexities when comparing this track to prior work. As a result, they have undoubtedly crafted a much more controlled and menacing chaos this time around.
Stream "Fold Eksis" below. Endinghent arrives on October 13 through Season of Mist. Pre-orders and bundles are also available in CD, LP, and tape through the label. Altarage is also on Facebook.
Endinghent Track Listing:
1. Incessant Magma (5:58)
2. Spearheaderon (3:56)
3. Cataclysmic Triada (3:33)
4. Fold Eksis (3:03)
5. Rift (4:56)
6. Orb Terrax (4:06)
7. Weighteer (6:31)
8. Barrier (4:38)
