Review: “Succumb To Rot” by Corpsessed

“One circle closes only for another to begin anew. This is the logical conclusion to ‘Impetus of Death’ where the limits of human existence give us a push to even do things in life (art being the pinnacle) – ‘Succumb to Rot’ is the inevitable end where all things must eventually die and give in to the relentless forces of entropy, and disintegrate into nothingness” ~ Corpsessed

15 years into their career, Finnish Death Metal pacesetters Corpsessed have renewed their unholy union with Dark Descent Records which began with the bands 2011’s critically acclaimed “The Dagger & The Chalice” for the beginning of a new dark dawn and “Succumb To Rot“. Produced, recorded, and mixed by M.M. At Furnace 5034 from October 2020 to January 2021, the album was mastered by D. Lowndes (Cerebral Rot, Druid Lord) at Resonance Sound Studio and features analog synths from the legendary by Lauri Lindqvist of Tyranny alongside artwork by Vladimir ‘Smerdulak‘ Chebakov that continues a tradition of exceptional album covers gracing the bands records.

Picking up where 2019’s “Beyond Abysmal Thresholds” left off the tone of “Succumb To Rot” is set with an Old School Death Metal non lyrical instrumental as the title track designed to build a crushing, weighty atmosphere that shrouds the World in thick black clouds of ash and smoke before “Relentless Entropy” pummels the listener to death with the blunt force trauma of bursts of blast beats that are surrounded by genre classic riffs. Slowing down in the later half to create a ferocious atmosphere of pure hostility surrounded by a sinister urge, this is simply the beginning of a masterclass in Death Metal and when the heavier and darker “Death-Stench Effluvium” kicks in with its razor sharp solo igniting the flames, the weak have been truly decimated and the opposition crushed into dust that flows through the fingers of oblivion like the sands of time. As hostile and unforgiving as a post apocalyptic landscape, what really makes the album shine when the band slow things down and focus on the dark malevolence of their creations as masters of atmosphere allowing the Lovecraft inspired horrors to breathe as they climb from the black tar pit before slick transitions into rumbling bass lines and skull crushing blast beats. “Calling Void” and “Pneuma Akathartos” are the ones that find the perfect balance between the two sides of the sound of Corpsessed as they strive to punish us during this captivating Death Metal record, the execution of which has been carried out as perfectly as a single clean cut from the blade of a guillotine. They escape some of the primitive urges of Death Metal with a dusting of technical flare that allows monolithic beasts like “Sublime Indignation” to dance around your skull in an all consuming fashion as the chugging rhythmic patterns begin the slow decent into madness. A timeless, morbid and sinister Death Metal album from genre masters, “Succumb To Rot” is the very definition of a Death Metal record in malicious malevolence [8/10]

Track listing

1. Succumb to Rot
2. Relentless Entropy
3. Death-Stench Effluvium
4. Spiritual Malevolence
5. Calling Void
6. Sublime Indignation
7. Profane Phlegm
8. Pneuma Akathartos

“Succumb To Rot” by Corpsessed is out 22nd April 2022 via Dark Descent Records and is available over at bandcamp