21st June 2022

Review: “Spears Of The Aten” by Tyrannos

Mixed and mastered by Damian Herring (Blood Incantation, Horrendous, Father Befouled) at Subterranean Watchtower Studios and adorned by artwork from Adrian Baxter (Alunah, Paradise Lost, VI), “Spears Of The Aten” may have been as long as five years in the making. It follows the 2017 “Beneath The Pharaonic Necropolis” demo with which Tyrannos turned heads and finds Bonno Stobart (Guitars and Vocals), Owen Padfield (Bass) and Allastair Thomson (Guitar) joined by Scott Fuller of Morbid Angel (drums) as the title track from that record is joined by a trinity of new cuts painted in expansive, visionary death metal…

Dark, sinister and menacing, “Beneath The Pharaonic Necropolis” finds Stobart in fine storytelling form alongside the metronomic performance of Fuller, the only break in his blood curdlingly vocal coming during an odd spoken word passage which takes a few listens to get into. It’s the vibrancy of the lead guitars on these cuts which really sets Tyrannos apart from the pack, giving the band almost a Melodic Death Metal edge to their sound, while Stobart has an almost Gothic style to his clean vocal moments. “The Tyrant’s Bane” finds the band embracing orchestration and joined by Ciaran Trevena (Cello), Emma Rednall (Viola), Daniel Gurner (Violin), although it’s not the full on affair that bands like Karybdis have conducted recently. Instead the band stick firmly to their Groove Death Metal roots with plenty of intricate guitar interplay and an unhealthy amount of blasting. A Florida Death Metal styled affair, “Sun Disc Cataclysm” finds the band joined by Morean of Alkaloid and Dark Fortress fame for an axe wielding ripper of a face melting solo on what is the stand out of this collection of cuts thanks to extended instrumental passages and a cut glass false ending to die for. An improved clean vocal performance from Stobart has an ethereal quality to it and lifts it as it finishes with a flourish [7/10]

Track Listing