Review: “Degenesis” by Colossus

Hailed as a new force in US Death Metal when they first surfaced from beyond the grave, sent to wipe the slate clean after the failed experiment that is humanity with a line-up featuring members of Lividity, Cryptic Fog and Cereviscera, this new entity Colossus certainly have the all the credentials to be that band. A powerhouse trio comprising Von Young (Guitars), Dan Klein (Drums, Vocals) and Steven Chavez (Bass, Vocals) complete the line up and bring us an album that promises nothing but total annihilation.

Building a spine tingling sense of anticipation before breaking into lightening riffs of incredible technical dexterity (hope they did some finger stretching first to avoid cramps!), Colouss burst into “Becoming All Forms” like the chest bursting moment John Hurt suffers in Alien. A rampaging typhoon of riffs and percussive battery that has an off kilter lead that gives it the creep of Mr Bungle is a mind blowing place to start. The recording quality maybe a little on the raw side but like the best Black Metal, it only adds to the charm while giving it a performed live in a basement feel. There are also a plethora of left field moments and “Iniquitous Macrocosm” has a progressive Jazz Fusion Metal style moment during the heart of a maelstrom of pounding rhythms that needs to be heard. A radar like guitar signals approaching doom during “Abysmal Tectonic Tyrants” as beasts rise from beneath the oceans tectonic plates the crush our skulls accompanied by breakneck speed riffs in scintillating fashion. “Malignant Eye Of Inexorable Ruin” marks another stand out with high velocity bulldozing destruction thanks to the clanky bass tones being high in the mix, a restless and relentless drumming performance from Dan Klein and the deathly growled vocals fro beyond the void, twisting the roots of the genre throughout like the bastard child of Revocation, Twitch of the Death Nerve and Archspire. The atmospherics throughout are augmented by eerie samples and the one at the start of “Violent Ichor Of Primordial Ascension” sounds like Jabba the Hut ordering a beating while the sounds of a forge play out in the distance. Von Young creates appropriately haunting and menacing leads and the whole thing cements Colossus position to deviating effect. The rumble of “Spiteful Obliteration Of An Obsolete Reality” is enough to trigger earthquakes on the opposing side of the globe while throwing in some haunting leads that building into a Thrash riff before a face melter of a solo and a whammy bar drop to die for. A nuace it may be but it’s a brilliantly effective and unexpected one. The title track is an interesting choice of a closing cut but they have saved the best until last with a track loaded with everything that the rest of the album has to offer as it follows numerous samples with sweeping extended leads and that have a progressive power during a thunderous piece [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. Becoming All Forms
2. Iniquitous Macrocosm
3. Abysmal Tectonic Tyrants
4. Malignant Eye Of Inexorable Ruin
5. Violent Ichor Of Primordial Ascension
6. Spiteful Obliteration Of An Obsolete Reality
7. Degenesis

“Degenesis” by Colossus is out 5th February 2021 via Comatose Music