25th January 2023

Review: “Tempest Calm Cold” by OvDeth (5th Anniversary)

Lyrically inspired by “Alastor, or The Spirit of Solitude” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, the debut EP of Helsinki Finland based Blackened Death Metallers OvDeth was recorded by Teemu Liekkala, mixed and mastered by Sami Niittykoski (Vaasa Palla, Blood Region, Red Eleven) at SN Audio Productions with vocals recorded by Jari Aarniala at Sima-studio. As it reaches its fifth anniversary we return to the grave side to review it having enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh that were offered by their sophomore release “Mortal Burden” as the quintet narrate death in its innumerable manifestations…

…as is Black Metal tradition the band have named themselves in pseudonym and thus keep themselves anonymous but the band themselves claim to have the same line up between releases with their music revolving around flavours of Death Metal, from the Blackened to the Melodic to the Progressive, it is all contained within the confines of this trio of cuts. The sublime extended solo of opener “Kano Risen” and likewise of “Pact of Skin” are both masterful moments considering this is a debut release, so the two years from the band forming in 2016 to the EP’s release in 2018 was time clearly spent at the grindstone, getting the skills perfected. Each cut is well balanced with dark and sinister overtones of foreboding although the Groove Metal main riff of “Pact of Skin” breaks that holding pattern in the best possible way and while the sound quality is a little rough around the edges on the recording itself, that adds a certain charm to it. As with a fair percentage of debut releases, OvDeth perhaps subliminally allow their influences to bleed through the bandages throughout “Tempest Calm Cold” with flavours of Bloodbath and Carcass rearing their ugly heads at points but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little hero worship before a band finds there own distinctive style. Kade (who we later find out is Kai from Exhale The Emptiness) offers up a caustic vocal blend, the gripping finale of “Neverborn” being the his most vicious and the bands most atmospheric burnt offering [7.5/10]

Track listing