Review: “Observers of The Inevitable” by Celestial Scourge

You may know them by the trail of the dead left in their wake or perhaps from their 2023 debut EP “Dimensions Unfurled” but either way Norwegian Technical Death Metal collective Celestial Scourge are band whose reputation precedes them. A quintet who have shared stages in Blood Red Throne, The Dark Nebula and Deception to name but a few, they have the been inspired by the unknown mysteries of space and its many haunting sights and created debut album “Observers of The Inevitable” for your listening pleasure. Mixed and mastered by Stefano Morabito (Spiritual Deception, Hideous Divinity, Twitch Of The Death Nerve) at 16th Cellar Studio and with drums recorded at Meathook Studio, while this is technically a debut album it sure as hell doesn’t feel like one…

The cosmic aspect of the sound of Celestial Scourge brought to the fore immediately with the opening cut “The Advent of Deities“, a portrait painted in Brutal Technical Progressive Death Metal. Spellbinding lead guitars give the track some mesmerising moments between punchy staccato groove orientated riffage and savage vocals, the contrast between the elements heightening the senses. Bursts of blast beats and death growls cutting against a shriller backing vocal all add up to a home run of a first track, the band smashing it out of the park. Going straight for the jugular in more chaotic fashion “Vessels” is an unstoppable force of nature that feels like it was cut from the same cloth as recent works from Aborted or Archspire. The riffs fly in all directions while the pummelling percussion shows no sign of slowing down, the quintet tearing through the material like a competitive eater on the clock. A clean, crisp sound is vital to being able to hear all of the technical nature of this beast and that has been something nailed by Stefano Morabito, the rhythm section and in particular the bass parts of Stian Gundersen shining through like gold in the gloom. The pulse races with the breakneck speed of “Exterminated“, a cut which feels like the band have come out all guns blazing, shooting first and asking questions later. Some of the polyrhythmic patters are incredible, as is the fact that they have the dexterity to pull them off but you shouldn’t discount the spine juddering, menacing and sinister riffs that rise from their graves around them because they’re sublime too. Who said you can’t do Downtempo moments in Technical Death Metal?

A classic example of a track with a name “Wandering Waste of Oxygen” finds vocalist Eirik Waadeland delivery arguably the most destructive throat splitting performance of the record. This death growled vocals are those of a man scorned, a person who is going to eat you alive like a bear and spit out your bones as he goes. Accompanied by frantic and frenetic drumming with lightening fast changes, buzzsaw riffs and bombastic bass it’s a story that could be the perfect soundscape for a hammer horror movie. There is more groove to “Insectoid Evisceration“, a cut which has roots in the 90’s Florida Death Metal scene as guitarist duo Hans Jakob Bjørheim and Sindre Wathne Johnsen nail the of era riffs perfectly. Slowing things down for a mid tempo grind in the centre of this beast is a move executed perfectly, a fleeting moment of respite before putting the pedal to the metal for a grand finale that will leave the mosh pit breathless. The restless and relentless nature of the album doesn’t stop with “The Optic Chiasm” either, a cut with sublime bass solo early on. How they have managed to commit this much energy, brutality and technicality to tape while retaining their nuances remains a mystery but somehow they have pulled off that miracle. The attention to detail here is second to none, each element weighed out perfectly to give an overall sound that is awe inspiring. Kristoffer Lunden provides the backbone with a whirlwind of percussive battery and that foundation is built upon with more masterful musicianship.

One of the many stand out cuts on the album is “Assembling Deformities“, the opening riffage dancing on the cerebral cortex like a designer drug before slab after slab of technical groove takes over in fine fashion. A neck snapper from the very start it’s the kind of call to a circle pit that the bigger stages were designed for and the slow down for a few moments of vocal carnage at the very end is another masterstroke. It’s a moment that gives the discerning listener fleeting respite before the vicious little ditty that is “Ancient Forms” comes out swinging. A brute of a track that is the metaphorical equivalent of a Viking raid, it rampages from start to finish, raping and pillaging before burning the village to the ground. There is a wonderful interplay between the instruments, a few tempo shifts in both directions making this one a death by a thousand cuts. This one doesn’t just strike a chord, it plays them all, each and every moment made to count as the band give the finest versions of themselves in performance. An incredible statement piece of a record, if there is any justice in this World, this should see Celestial Scourge breaking into new, hitherto unexplored territory [9/10]

Track listing

1. The Advent of Deities
2. Vessels
3. Exterminated
4. Wandering Waste of Oxygen
5. Insectoid Evisceration
6. The Optic Chiasm
7. Assembling Deformities
8. Ancient Forms

“Observers of The Inevitable” by Celestial Scourge is out 28th February 2025 via Time To Kill Records as is available over at bandcamp