Album Review: Celestial Scourge - Observers of The Inevitable
Reviewed by Dan Phipps
With a collection of musicians whose past credits include legendary Norwegian death metal act Blood Red Throne Celestial Scourge are the new kids on the block within the Norway death metal scene. 2023 saw the band being their first slab of chaos into the forefront with the release of the band's debut EP Dimensions Unfurled through Time to Kill Records. Alongside the same label the band have crafted their debut full length Observations of the Inevitable which sees the band take their self described blend of Sonic Brutal Tech Death to the next level.
Now this is a technical death metal record done correctly. I can't tell you how great it is hearing a bunch of technical songs which are not over produced to hell for a start, and it's also nice to hear a technical record which does not lose it's heaviness through the technical approach within its song craft and for a start this is what has really caught my ear and gave me almost instant enjoyment of this record. The guitars have a really solid sound, they have just the right amount of bite behind the tone that keeps the more intricate parts at the forefront before crushing you will the more brutal element of the music.
Now the band's style is not super brutal but I feel they capture enough of that within the song writing to please even the most underground death metal fan. Now what does every good death metal album need? That's right, absolutely annihilating drums and Observations of the Inevitable ticks that box. Granted it takes a song before they hit full power, but from that point onwards its full throttle. Along with lifting the whole record and giving the riffs the extra punch the kit sounds so effortless with its flow and that lends itself to the rest of the album as that effortless sound really makes these eight tracks absolutely fly.
Celestial Scourge provides a slick well crafted and vicious technical death metal release. It packs an absolute punch in terms of the more brutal side whilst ensuring that the playing and overall sound that comes out of the speakers gives the listener the technical side without getting lost.
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