DESOLATE SHRINE “Fires Of The Dying World”

By Theron Moore

Recently, Chris Barnes (SIX FEET UNDER, Ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE) issued some sharp criticism directed at the genre of death metal. I agreed with him for the most part, but a band like DESOLATE SHRINE, and their soon to be released record, “Fires Of The Dying World”, is everything that’s good and exciting about death metal as well as the hybrid of death/doom also. When “Fires Of The Dying World” drops March 25 via Dark Descent Records, buy it immediately.

The record is a veritable showcase for DESOLATE SHRINE’s trademarked, gloom tinged death metal. It’s crafted in a masterful way that isn’t two dimensional, which conveys heaviness through atmosphere and music, and knows when to rage the fuck out of itself. Track five, “Cast To Walk The Star Of Sorrow,” exemplifies this beyond any other track on this album.

It begins with a fast paced, almost blast beat tempo, slows down just enough to drop a ten foot wall of crunch upon the listener, and flat out rolls over your dead carcass by the time the song is over. And it’s calculated this way, it’s meant to be a shit kicker. The same can be said of “My Undivided Blood,” which perfectly channels early OPETH and MY DYING BRIDE in DESOLATE SHRINE’s gloomy, haunted house, death/doom style which they are best at.

At seven songs and 46 minutes in length, this is some of the best death/doom I’ve heard in years. “Fires Of The Dying World” isn’t DESOLATE SHRINE trying to do something out of its wheelhouse, it’s DESOLATE SHRINE doing exactly what it does best. “Fires Of The Dying World” is a must buy for sure.

4/5 Stars

DARK DESCENT RECORDS

DESOLATE SHRINE