Album Review: Sect - Plagues Upon Plagues
Reviewed by Dan Barnes
Having had a five year wait for new material, fans of Sect’s early albums, particularly the 2016 self-titled debut and its follow-up, No Cure for Death, will be somewhat taken aback by the North America quintet’s switch from two-minute blasts to a slower, more measured delivery.
Don’t for one moment think the band have turned their backs on their political stance; rather they have found a new way to focus their ire and, listening to Plague Upon Plagues, it’s clear that Sect are mighty angry indeed.
With a title referring to the ever-increasing threats as perceived by the band, the album opens with a scene-setting dirge of mournful chords, growing in rage with each passing repetition. No Uncertain Terms is a world away from the barrage of, say Open Graves, and is marked by its restraint and sense of feverish hopelessness.
That slow and morose sound permeates most of the record’s eight songs, including the lead single, New Low, with its slow and deliberate build and almost funereal progression; and the catchy bounce of Zerzan Wept, which features the closest to melodic the album gets through its bridge and solo.
Sect have always worn their political stripes on their sleeves, and nothing has changed in this respect other than, perhaps, an even stronger commitment to their cause. New Low, Drowning in Sorrows and #foreverhome are the most caustic examples, but the whole records drips with disgust.
Drummer, Andy Hurley and bassist Steve Hart lay the platform for Scott Crouse and Jimmy Chang to lay down their meaty riffs or their uplifting solos. Vocalist Chris Colohan delivers a career-defining performance here, sounding like Pete Dolving when he fronted Swedish legends, The Haunted.
In fact, I’d go as far to suggest there’s a distinctly Haunted vibe to Plague Upon Plagues, be that the rapid riffing of Drowning in Sorrows and Inventory or the ambient passages of #foreverhome and Lovers of Life.
The album closes with Six Black Lines (Plague Upon Plagues), a tune built around a slow and chugging riff and one of the heaviest progressions on the record. The mid-song interlude rises to a crescendo, growing to an abrupt end with just the word “Red” spoken as the album finishes.
Although short in running time – at a little shy of half-an-hour – Plague Upon Plagues is perfectly balanced and the beginning of a fresh sound for Sect. One that signals a new
