ANNIHILATION CULT by SCORN OF CREATION
Wellington's SCORN OF CREATION unleash ANNIHILATION CULT - a short, yet intense dose of melodic, technical death metal that continues to keep New Zealand Metal at the forefront of the world stage.
I first caught Scorn Of Creation with the release of 2018s self-titled debut, then catching them open for CATTLE DECAPITATION soon after - and despite minor technical difficulties - the album and live show left a long held desire to see more from the group.
Fast forward to 2021, the world we now live in is a far cry from one we once knew; live shows and touring continues to be problematic on an international level, and venues are struggling to stay afloat. Despite these challenges, the past two years have seen an unprecedented number of high quality releases from international and local metal bands alike.
Sometime between lockdowns, guitarist SETH JACKSON dropped word that a new Scorn release was nearing completion and my ears perked up with interest and intrigue, since then I've been sitting on this album for just over a month now. My only complaint is in the release's brevity - clocking in at just over 32 minutes, Annihilation Cult blends technical death metal with a touches of blackend progressive/power metal to come up with an unholy soundscape that differentiates them from their peers.
The album opens with "Prologue (Before This Life)" and the first thing to hit me is the production, where 2018's self titled felt a little clinical in its mix - Annihilation has stepped things up, most noticeably to me with the bass and drums.
Vocalist KRIS GILLAN'S guttural regurgitations shifting between unearthly growls and scathing black metal rasps blending with melodic lead passages from Jackson.
"The first album was kind of one style for most, so he (Kris) came to the party this time and went hard, we just let him do his thing and it came out great!" — Seth Jackson
"Letting Go" slows the pace down, showcasing a beautiful guitar/bass interplay with Jackson and GEORGE PROWSE before returning to unrelenting death.
As the album progresses through "The Will of the Collective", "Dissent and Dissonance", and "Punishment" I'm repeatedly reminded of the presence and clarity of Prowse's bass lines - the songs give ample space for each to make a well-deserved appearance - this may be the result of listening to Hi-Res 44/24 WAV's and high-quality headphones as it is the mix and playing, but it's the combination of everything that draws me back to this release often.
Whilst other notable New Zealand acts - ULCERATE and BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS come to mind cover the more discordant spectrum - Scorn of Creation fills a gap with substantial doses of melodic progression and bleak despair that touches a special place in this prog-heads heart.
As the album closes with "Farewells" and "Epilogue (Ending And Ascending)" I close my eyes, spin up the AC and picture myself in a hot sweaty bar for front row seats for Annihilation.
SCORN OF CREATION - Opening For CATTLE DECAPITATION 2018, The Kings Arms, Auckland.