Something that always surprises me is when a band is able to replicate a certain style distinct to a geographic area that’s worlds apart from their own. Whether it be US death metal bands channeling the Swedish sound, Swedish AOR bands channeling the west coast sound, or those barbaric South American outfits who so accurately capture the spirit of 80s German black/thrash, there’s no shortage of killer new metal bands with extremely specific stylistic and geographic obsessions. Today’s band in review is no exception.
Hailing from Costa Rica (I still can’t believe I’m typing that), Astriferous sound less like what I’d expect a Central American band to sound like and more like a lost Finnish death metal relic from 30 years earlier. I guess never judge a book (or album) by its cover! While their unhealthy fixation with cosmic horror themed lyrics, bleak atmosphere, and occasional dissonant riffing recall prime Morbid Angel and the Chasm, one can’t help but acknowledge the filthy, maggot-riddled tone and riffs that dominate their debut album, Pulsations from the Black Orb. These dudes cut their teeth on Convulse, Demigod, and so forth, and it SHOWS.
After an instrumental intro titled “The Black Orb” sets the tone, the first half of Pulsations is dominated by this macabre, arcane brand of death metal. “Blinding the Seven Eyes of God” is as chaotic a death metal opener as there’s ever been, disgustingly deadly in all aspects. “Teleport Haze” boasts some brutal grooving riffs characteristic of the aforementioned Morbid Angel, specifically the Covenant era, but goes overboard during the second half, blasting drums, hellish growls, and dissonant riffs galore. “Metasymbiosis” closes side A (yes, we’re using vinyl terminology here) with an unhinged balance of tough groove riffs and unhinged thrash riffs, all immersed in a suffocating layer of evil.
The second half of Pulsations follows roughly the same formula, but with perhaps a greater emphasis on thrash and doom influences. “Ominous and Malevolent” is a punishing number, boasting riffs that batter at their fastest and bludgeon at their slowest. Astriferous never stay too close to one speed at any given moment of this outing, making them all the more unpredictably exciting. My choice cut, “Lunomancy”, is an absolute riff clinic, thrashing its way into the underworld with the conviction of Hell Awaits era Slayer and Celtic Frost (OUGH!). Like many of their peers, Astriferous saved the heaviest for last. “Symmetries that Should Not Be” is a skull-shattering display of death/doom, with an emphasis on “death” à la Mental Funeral era Autopsy.
Pulsations is an intriguing listen because while it doesn’t sound as blatantly old school as other OSDM releases of late, there are zero modern tropes to be found either (always a plus). This is most definitely a case of a band making the old new again, and doing so rather well. Astriferous isn’t reinventing the wheel by any means, but they are cranking out some devastating old school death metal that’s bound to pique the interest of headbangers of all ages.
7 out of 10
Label: Me Saco un Ojo Records
Genre: Death Metal
For fans of: Convulse, Morbid Angel, The Chasm