Review: “Restoration” by Denominate

If you count the six years they spent together as Encrypted before re-branding in 2015, Finnish Progressive Death Metal collective Denominate have been together for seventeen years at this point. Together bassist Tuomas Pesälä, drummer Joni Määttä (ex-Fatal Effect), vocalist Ville Männikkö (Phobia Ride, ex-Insanity) alongside guitarist duo Eetu Pylkkänen and Kimmo Raappana have given us songs of epic proportions, often specializing in finding the balance between the crushing sounds of Death Metal and the more subtle, atmospheric moments of the Progressive world. It’s been six years since they have us the gift of “Isochron” so its safe to say that “Restoration” is a long awaited return…

Crossing the borders and boundaries between Extreme Metal, Technical Death Metal and Progressive Death Metal with consummate ease, “The Loathe Process” has the glorious warmth of familiarity about it, much like a hot cup of coffee from a hot coffee cup. A powerful statement piece that echoes recent works by Scott Carstairs Fallujah or Ne Obliviscaris it has a stunning rise and fall with an earworm main riff that is as hard to escape from as a bear trap. The atmosphere is wonderfully unsettling in a dark and brooding way with Männikkö’s harsh vocals projecting his dark thoughts in pure catharsis. How they managed to avoid the temptation for a clean sung moment during a couple of more ambient sonic moments is interesting because the start of “Husk” finds him embracing them but in an almost unhinged kind of way. A cut as dark as the blackest of nights, this one arguably has the finest of the kit performances from Määttä gracing it as he gets inventive with the fills, offering up a wonderful selection of sonic textures with kick drums, blast beats and cybal smashes all along the way. The soaring solo is a moment of pure mastery as it rises from the acrid smoke of the songs atmosphere like a pheonix from the ashes, adding a rich melody to the brutality. Continuing the flow of lava from the volcano of Denominate to the obsidian pool below “Of Passing” returns to a couple of haunting clean vocal moments in amongst meloncholic guitars with a couple of moments that are reminiscent of the self titled album from Mercury’s Well. A sing-a-long chorus isn’t something that you might have expected from a band like this but this one has one but not of the anthemic variety and when added to the hummable riffs it feels like a strangely luxurious moment.

The off kilter riffs of “Liminal” are a wonder to behold, Denominate drawing in the discerning listener with their Scandinavian meloncholia and smouldering atmospheres. An acoustic passage in the final third is utterly spellbinding with almost flamenco like touches, the electric solo that rises from it a moment of majesty before the grand finale. The movements flow like classical music with so much depth and texture that it beggars belief and is not only immersive but completely captivating. A near nine minute magnum opus “The Cistern” has a mesmerisingly haunting tapping section offering a moment of dark melody before the hammer falls with some scalding unclean vocals, jackhammer footwork and crushing guitars. The shift in mood from meloncholia to the clenched fist of anger is palpable, the band musing on the human condition as the song plays out. It has to be said that the transitions throughout the record are as smooth as the finest of Persian silks, each one subtley demonstrating the bands dedication to craft and quality of musicianship. To be as great as they are is not something acheived overnight but with countless hours spent in the rehersal space playing through each part until it fits like a jigsaw puzzle piece. Title track “Restoration” is a glorious piece that brings together everything the band have dared to dream of with this album, from crushing Death Metal riffs with savage vocals to delicate acoustic bridges. A sinister atmosphere and feeling of malicious intent is hard to break free from despite the elegance of the lead guitars and the spellbinding solo but the clouds do eventually lift with the combination of an organ and an almost ethereal vocal harmony to bring the curtain down. Is it too early to be talking about albums of the year? [9/10]

Track Listing

1. The Loathe Process
2. Husk
3. Of Passing
4. Liminal
5. The Cistern
6. Restoration

“Restoration” by Denominate is out 9th January 2026 via Dusktone and is available over at bandcamp