Album Review: Clairvoyance - Chasm Of Immurement
Reviewed by Sam Jones
We’re looking over to Poland for today’s record, Chasm Of Immurement, and a debut album no less by a band that’s only formed in the last few years. Formed out of Masovia, Warsaw, in 2020, Clairvoyance are a death metal act who come from a nation that, whilst not the first to think of for extreme metal, has gifted us with many a quality band: Hate, Vader, Behemoth, Decapitated etc. Their first Demo released in 2020 which was followed up two years later with their Thresholds Of Nothingness EP. However in that three year gap, the band acquired themselves a new Bassist, especially since previous Bassist Kacper Pawluk stepped down from that role and took up the position of guitarist in 2023. With the band’s roster altered and stabilised they were ready to hit the studio and, now, Clairvoyance are primed to unleash Chasm Of Immurement, through Carbonized Records, for a July 18th release date. I was curious to see what these guys would deliver thus it is time to delve within.
I’ve mentioned beforehand that this July is spoiling us with death metal bands arching towards that cavernous, cacophonous semblance and Clairvoyance are another notch in that tally. What’s curious however is Clairvoyance play metal that’s fast and moodyand has this oppressive atmosphere, yet it doesn’t try and press you down or keep you forever subjugated until the record’s end. It manages to keep you pinned but not so hard that you can’t move around somewhat, in doing so Clairvoyance ensure our attention is always directed towards the songwriting and the decrepit atmosphere that entails. I appreciate that the guitar work isn’tmassively downtuned; the overall crushing presence this record harnesses isn’t from a singular piece of instrumentation but rather the entire collective band’s effort. That’s how it should be and thus there’s no single element of the band over-saturating and smothering the rest of the drums or vocals etc.
Eagle-eyed individuals may see there are just six tracks across the whole record and though an album like this these days would usually encompass eight or nine, I think it’s a good decision to narrow the track number. Given the crushing strength and depths Clairvoyance aspire towards, you don’t want to wear your prospective audience out by the record’s end. Listening to this kind of death metal is so satisfying but given the atmospheric weight it can take a lot more out of us since we need to put more of ourselves and out attention into the songwriting offered. A smaller track selection also gives each piece greater significance in the album running, instilling especial importance to each song included herein. It ascribes a greatly warranted impetus to observe and take note what the band are capable of and, since there are just six tracks, we understand we can withstand their onslaught and thus are ourselves available to grit against it again and again come repeated listens.
If you were hoping to make out anything uttered by their frontman you’d be hard pressed for the vocals are this guttural, antediluvian performance that are constantly seeking the depths of the record and then deeper again. But one does not experience a record like this to observe what’s specifically said; its how the vocals impart atmosphere to a record evidently designed for evisceration. There are times where the vocals are so low, so deep, across the record that you’ll hardly realise what you’re listening to. With some records this would be problematic but its advantageous to Clairvoyance since they demonstrate, and continue thus doing so, that its all about imparting that suffocating devastation. It’s the way the vocals mesh and bind with the blast beats and the riffs, even as the tempo calms, to craft a clashing, rampant milieu. If you’re after what makes modern death metal vocals so enchanting, Clairvoyance could be a poster child. It’s far from anything you’ve never heard but its delivered with the purity and horror that great vocals should elicit.
When the drums initiate blast beats, it’s nice to see they aren’t ongoing all the time. Though the band are geared towards the more ruthless calibre of death metal they aren’t doing so at the displeasure of our listening experience. Blast beats are to be found but the band outright show that they’re far from the priority as their drumming is surprisingly versatile whether that be via the bass drums, rapid-fire tom-tom strikes, the full kit being utilised. The blast beats therefore emphasise the most ferocious points of the record and thus label when your attention needs to be in effect for it signifies a change in songwriting or direction. Fret not for the drums hold a quality position in the mix where you can feel their impact alongside the rest of the band, their particular strengths are noted, but they’re kept on a firm leash so as to prevent drowning the rest of the instrumentation out; this is especially prevalent given our coverage of the vocals too for a constant display of blast beats could supersede their otherwise focused performance.
In conclusion, Clairvoyance’s Chasm Of Immurement is a death metal record you already know well. You’ve likely heard this record a good hundred times before, and it doesn’t provide anything new that isn’t shareable with those other hundred acts, but what matters is Chasm Of Immurement is a Clairvoyance record, their first full length record, and you thus have never heard cacophonous death metal written or performed exactly in the way Clairvoyance do.Chasm Of Immurement goes out of its way to ensure your attention is forever fixated on what the band are doing and the instrumentation within is always an inch away from slicing your throat open. With just six tracks Clairvoyance give us just enough slaughter to tide us over without their atmosphere grinding us totally to dust, with satisfaction being the result and the prospect of another full length record on everyone’s mind come the end of Chasm Of Immurement. One can imagine the immense pits and walls of death conjured by such a band’s live performance, slouching from what primordial pit birthed them. Its also a testament to their songwriting that, in spite of the crushing despair this record is imbued with, it’s a refreshing quick listen, rendering those repeat listens with greater acclaim and passion. A fine record to enjoy this July and so on. Got to love the Poles.
