Review: “Disembodied In the Arms of Perdition” by Crypts of Golgotha

The story goes that Crypts of Gothica were formed in Denver, Colorado by current and former members of such house hold names as Vitriolic Withering, Bloodrite, Cempasúchil and Impalor in 2022. As a trio void of any particular vision they initially began writing old school Death Metal and after a year that evolved organically to incorporate Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore influences. In 2023, after committing a pair of demos to tape they dropped EP “In Death’s Hands” before following it up with another in “Paths Against Divinity” a year later. That development cycle lead the quartet to refine their sound before releasing a split record with Cavernous ironically titled “The Cavernous Crypts” before making a change. Bassist Cooper Jones joined the ranks to allow vocalist Gabriel Aragon to switch to guitars, the pair flanked by drummer Joaquin Aragon and guitarist Dominik Dworak. 

Despite their relatively short career, Crypts of Golgotha have been fairly prolific, musing on themes of crypticism, social violence and inner struggles as well has having some anti religious rhetoric about them. Mixed and mastered by Austin Minney (Cronos Compulsion, Victim of Fire, Bone Rot) at All Aces Studios, the bands debut album “Disembodied In the Arms of Perdition” is very much the culmination of three years as a band and what they like to call Rocky Mountain Death Metal.

The punishment beating begins with “The Cross On Calvary“, a cut of warped sounding crushing Death Metal riffs with a tasteful amount of groove and the odd throat gargling moment for good measure. It’s going to sound like a cliche but its very much the calm before the storm as the bone snapping title track “Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition” whips up a tornado of souls with the introduction of throat splitting death growled vocals. As the cut unfolds like a night on the run with a serial killer with hints of influence from bands like Defeated Sanity, vocal layering is put to good use with some shriller moments rearing their ugly head to give it texture.

Taking us back to the 90’s with a funky bass introduction from Jones “Chokehold” then bursts a blood vessel with Maryland Death Metal vibes, borrowing from the playbook of bands like Deicide in the way that the caustic vocals glue themselves to the soundscape. It’s all about that mid tempo, menacing and sinister crush which gets you in a vice grip and refuses to let go. Minney deserves a lot of credit here for giving the band a clean and crisp sound that is also raw and abrasive, nailing the mix so you can hear every instrument clearly and enjoy every second of the brutality. “Pummeled Into Nonexistence” slaps with an earworm main riff, cutting a fine line between Groove Death and Deathcore, the tempo shift for some helter-skelter madness mid track very well worked. Breakdowns pile up like pancake stacks at an American diner, which is incredibly good fun.

For the most part these songs are short and sickly sweet with “I am Decay” is the longest cut of the surgeons knife at just short of four minutes. Front loaded with vocal depravity as Aragon sounds like he’s been smoking cigars by the truck load while screaming with the devil on the 13th floor, as with the other tracks it’s jam packed with a wealth of inventive riffs. While the band aren’t doing anything complex, they never mentioned wanting to re-invent the wheel and what they do with those riffs is create songs that make you want to get in the pit and push someone. That being said there is the odd moment of Technical Death Metal here and there, the blood and venom spitting tirade that is “Elegy for a Forgotten God” being a fine example. That one also has a few blast beats with riff barrage, the overall effect akin to being trapped by an alligator and made to endure its death roll.

As if deciding to go big or go home “Wolf and the Knife” hits hard with staccato riff breaks and violent turbulence, the big chugs a bitter brutal roars almost a tip of the hat to bands like Dreadworm. Creating a kind of wrap around effect with the opening cut, grand finale “Order to Comply” has some similar warped sounding moments in the riff department while hitting with the violence of a building site wrecking ball. The beauty of this is that its not organised chaos but cleverly constructed with plenty of groove in amongst the bursts of audio violence. As a band Crypts of Golgotha remain a work in progress but it has to be said that if killing is their business, business is good! [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. The Cross On Calvary
2. Disembodied in the Arms of Perdition
3. Chokehold
4. Pummeled Into Nonexistence
5. I am Decay
6. Elegy for a Forgotten God
7. Wolf and the Knife
8. Order to Comply

“Disembodied In the Arms of Perdition” by Crypts of Golgotha is out 26th June 2026 via DSFP Records