Review: “The Summoning” by Omnifariam

Mixed and Mastered by Nelson Rosa at Wolf Cave Studios (Another Fallen Soldier, Outbreak Hate) and with drums recorded by José Ibañez at Monopolio Records (Tropiezo, Xtra Vomit, El Siempreterno), the chamber spins three for San Juan, Puerto Rico Death Metal act Omnifariam with “The Summoning“. Having receiving high praise for both 2016 EP “Vitiate” and 2019 follow up full length “The Art of Collision”, they earned the right of passage to share stages with prestigious names like Dying Fetus, Suffocation and Vader but found themselves at a crossroads without a drummer. So they reached out to Josean Orta of Fit for an Autopsy to record drums for the EP and as he was recovering from knee surgery in 2020 it seemed the idea opportunity to get back in shape for his touring commitments. Little did he know when he signed up that he would enjoy working with vocalist Gabriel Muñoz, guitarist Eric Martínez and bassist Jorge Hernández so much, he would decide to remain in the band…

…the record beings with the distinctly blackened offering that is “Deceivers of the Bleak“, the melancholic overtones of the music doing nothing to hide the venomous vocal performance from Muñoz to the point that if you weren’t aware of their Puerto Rican status, you would convinced they were a Scandinavian act of the highest order. The raspy throat shredding from behind a cloak of dark deception certainly gives nothing away as the finger is pointed at a reckless parasite who remains unnamed with the power and passion of an unrelenting storm. Some classic Groove Metal orientated riffs creep into “Leaders of the Dark“, a thinly veiled socially and politically aware cut that finds the band inciting hatred against those who would enslave and dehumanize in the name of religion or in a bloodlust for power or money. Pure fire and brimstone, it’s a vicious number soaked in atmosphere that swings a wrecking ball of rage as it seeks to smash the clock in fear before “Enslaved” gives us a colossal breakdown moment that leads into a downtempo passage before it rises like a demon from the black depths. After that opening trio of ear bleeding savagery, “The Outsiders” takes us to a windswept apocalyptic wasteland where Muñoz’s brutal roar is carried on the wind to the four corners of the globe. He incites the rites of war against the deceiving forces of the Earth, the band the four horsemen of the apocalypse, preparing to bring plague, pestilence, famine and war to those that oppose against the backdrop of Blackened Death Metal riffs that blur the lines between Death and Black Metal with consummate ease. “Dehumanized” then finds Orta bring his finest kit performance, blasting his way through the opening onslaught before giving us some tasty fills to savour as the band drive home the nails in the coffin and unfurl their black wings. You can just picture Gabe Mangold and Brandon Zackey from Enterprise Earth enjoying this, it’s that kind of record… [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Deceivers of the Bleak
2. Leaders of the Dark
3. Enslaved
4. The Outsiders
5. Dehumanized

“The Summoning” by Omnifariam is out 18th November 2022 with pre-orders available over at bandcamp.