Is it me, or has this summer been disappointing in terms of death metal releases? You’d think in the midst of this hellish heat, those of a deadly disposition would want to unleash new music upon the masses. After all, it was this ungodly weather that fueled the creativity of the Florida scene all those decades ago, but I digress. Upon backtracking, the last death metal album I reviewed for this webzine was Static Abyss’ Aborted from Reality, and while it absolutely smokes, it also comes from less of a band and more of a “project” (Greg Wilkinson and Chris Reifert of Autopsy infamy). This brings us to the subject of today’s review, Cystic.
Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Cystic is a meat and potatoes death metal power trio who have miraculously managed to exist without falling prey to the “OSDM” hype bandwagon. In other words, don’t expect your local hardcore kid turned death metal nerd to be wearing their longsleeve anytime soon (and let’s hope it stays that way). In the past 5 years, these maniacs have cranked out a demo, 2 EPs, and a rehearsal tape. Now, they can add a full length to their canon with the release of their latest effort, Palace of Shadows.
Whereas many of their contemporaries rely on tough guy hardcore tropes and endless Cannibal Corpse worship, Cystic keeps things wild and unpredictable on this 35 minute death metal voyage. Groove and goriness are two pivotal aspects of their sound, especially on cuts like “Pestilential Throne”, “Core of the Maelström”, and “Palace of Shadows and Blood” (not sure why the excluded the “and Blood” from the album title). Comparisons can be made to Repulsion and Necroticism era Carcass, sans the punk undertones. When they pick up the speed, one can detect shades of violent thrash, but by and large, Cystic keeps it midtempo and malicious.
Amidst these pummeling slabs of brutality are deranged death/doom freak-outs in the vein of Mental Funeral era Autopsy. The bleak “Duly Drowned” and cryptic “Stygian Deeps” throw in those signature maggot-riddled decomposed Sabbath riffs in between blinding blasts of deathgrind ferocity. Rounding this affair out is my choice cut, “Nebulous Legion (Of the Somber Sea)”. Although I hate to use the word “prog” for a release of this nature, it’s one of the few descriptors that comes to mind when listening to this 6 and a half minute crusher. There’s so much going on between the shifting tempos, mood, and musicality; one can’t help but tip their hat to these maniacs.
Palace of Shadows is a riveting display of death, firing on all cylinders from beginning to end. It doesn’t stray too far out of the lines, but doesn’t come off like an AI generated early 90s death metal clone either. Cystic have stablished their own flavor, something few death metal bands can claim today, and it is downright repulsive. If you think you have the guts to stomach it, enter the Palace of Shadows and brace yourself for the slaughter.
7 out of 10
Label: Chaos Records
Genre: Death Metal
For fans of: Autopsy, Carcass, Repulsion