From the start, the album wanders into mid-paced riffing that even reminds me of Krabathor. Guitarists Hnisatel and Ransolič capture the foul miasma of rotten riffs. The thudding bass of Hrdlořez and vocalist Řád Zdechlin lay down a cavernous growl that will make you think you have stumbled upon some quality howls. Krutörr’s drumming will blow your mind with killer fills and straightforward blast beats; all this made me think twice about the achievement.
The emphasis on slow-death metal shrouds the tempos and drags a creepy sense of gore; the opening track “Tíha světů” will numb you with its slow and doomy riffs until the drums stomp your skull with sheer brutality.
Sněť emerged with a new identity; the new album is reminiscent of classic old-school death metal of the early 90s. The heavy tone of the rumbling riffs sets expectations for tons of fast, grinding drums, which deliver hefty blast beats in faster sections. Every track makes me think this is a true reincarnation of European death metal brought to a brutal magnitude.
“Kladivo ve tmě” opens with unrelenting speed and delivers a rotting sound. Groove segues into a barrage of churning guitars; even more morbidly, the ghoulish howls are the icing on the cake. After the bludgeoning invades the senses, the guitars engulf you in a gloomy atmosphere; the brutal churning and pummeling of the drums are played marvelously.
The tracks contain many ideas that fit the band’s persona, from eerie lead guitars and low grunts to catchy death metal rhythms compelling the listener through chaotic monstrosity on “Natur”. The production is dense and carries with it the scent of rot and decay.
“Ve stínu slunce” retains the sense of doom and macabre; the slow drumming turns into a steamroller of corpses. The slower passages emphasize the heaviness, but this time the pace moves through crushing double bass and gloomy doom-death metal riffs before the drum’s pummel ceaseslessly. The clean guitar section at the very end of this track has the most appalling suspense.
The middle sections of each track are when the guitars add quality to the songs; one of the most notable is the brooding gush of dark atmosphere. The formula oozes brutality with a dose of old-school inspiration, and the riffs ooze a rotten lushness of putrid death metal.
“Apokalyptický smaragd budoucí doby” has some doomy, monotonous moments; the drums build into a massive blow of pummeling onslaught. The putridity and foulness exude a grim quality; the grooves and brutality remind me of Autopsy and Undergang, but I must admit each track shines.
The breakdowns and blast beats are brutal; the drums kick some serious ass, bludgeoning you hard before the groove sections inflict devastating riffs. The slower pace on tracks like “Moskyt”, filled with grotesque attacks of tremolo-laden riffs, makes the atmosphere and sound crushingly heavy. “Jako každý” and “Nekončící koloběh snění a probouzení” are oppressive and packed with chunky riffs.
The low growls are horrifying, while the riffing imbues sludge and rawness; the band instills characteristic sensibilities in the songs, making it one of the main highlights.
“Dřevěný kůl” and the final track “Znetvořená panna” both reek of gore: a ghastly concoction of slower-paced riffs and chaotic drumming that sets a high bar for the band’s rotten sound.
REVIEW SCORE
| 8.8 | “V bažinách vědomí” is a moldy, brutal death metal album that fits the criteria for elite European and Czech bands. If you like bands like Krabathor and Undergang, then look no further. |







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