Review: “Womb in Black Flame” by Ashes Of Moments Perished

Despite cover art and a moniker that suggests Black Metal or perhaps even Power Violence, Milwaukee Wisconsin’s Ashes Of Moments Perished instead promise Brutal Technical Death Metal with debut EP “Womb in Black Flame“. Masterminded by guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Isaac Rice, the record is something of concept release as he explores the darker side of the human experience… nurturing the soul for horrific eternal damnation in the form of dying and being reborn into an absence of an afterlife, which just so happens to be a blackened abyss of absolute deprivation where one is left to fester for all of eternity…

As you might have anticipated given the cover art, the skull battering begins with “Delusions Of Wilting Mind” which finds a drum machine locked in overdrive. It provides the covering fire in the form of artillery shelling while Rice runs the gauntlet with Death Metal riffs of the finest order. He’s got quote the arsenal in his locker and rips out a blistering solo during this three minute assault on the senses that feels like being hit by a wave of fresh Napalm. Vicious and yet darkly memorable with a sinister evil melody, this confirms the talent is there while reminding of the more industrial tinged Death Metal acts of Earache Records in the 90s. “Dichotomy Of Being” doesn’t shed any skin, instead cleaving flesh from bone with a breakneck pace broken by mid tempo chugging violence that offers a moment of respite before the violent turbulence begins again. Calloused hands create riffs that destroy fretboards and there is no doubt that Rice has ruined many. Don’t give him anything expensive. He’s not to be trusted. The title track is just as monstrous as everything else on show here but the point of difference is the sublime extended face melter of a solo that distracts from the throat splitting vocal performance and militant drum machine with an unexpected flamboyance. If this is just the first offering from Ashes of Moments Perished then we’re going to need hearing aids soon [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Delusions Of Wilting Mind
2. Dichotomy Of Being
3. Womb In Black Flame

“Womb in Black Flame” by Ashes Of Moments Perished is out 12th May 2023 with the possibility of pre-orders over at bandcamp.