ALBUM REVIEW: Corroding Soul – Corroding Soul

Although the band itself has only been active under the moniker since 2023, Brighton’s CORRODING SOUL has a much longer history. Initially operating under the name SORROW PLAGUES, and releasing several records, including two full-length albums, with the one man band slowly gaining confidence and a interesting take on atmospheric black metal that takes many of its musical cues from post-rock and progressive music as their sound began to develop.

Since the name change, David Lovejoy has been incredibly prolific, with two impressively epic and imaginative EPs in 2023’s Hopeless and 2024’s Nothing firmly establishing an expansive and stunning sound. The band’s newest, self-titled debut album as CORRODING SOUL takes the stellar style that featured prominently in those two EPs and explores it in greater detail, making for an singularly excellent piece of music for a band already well regarded for crafting musical gems.

Shadow makes for an ethereal and proggy start to proceedings, with crystalline guitars creating an angelic feel that, even when the music shifts towards a stringent and acerbic brand of hypnotic black metal, never fully dissipates. Intricate drums and piercing, precise guitar work establish a dreamlike, yet intense sound right off the bat, with the bellicose shriek of the vocals only adding to the beguiling effect. This is post-black metal in its approach, with a strong emphasis on the underlying harshness, acoustic fills and soaring melodies from the lead guitars, which all contribute to an incredibly polished and varied sound that is clearly indebted to the genre’s more atmospheric edges whilst sounding completely distinct from that style, peppering in hints of power metal that inject a bombastic element into this already overblown and impressive sound, kicking the album off in stunning fashion.

Tempest sees the grandiose overtones of the opener being explored and expanded on, with the introduction of haunting synths and adventurous, animated musicianship on all fronts, but especially on the guitars, leaning into the epic qualities that made its predecessor so impactful, again straying from the typical post/atmospheric black metal offering due to its imaginative and energetic performance, with even the arid vocals feeling incredibly visceral, making this streamlined version of CORRODING SOUL‘s magnificent formula extremely memorable and anthemic.

Bound, much like the first track, initially feels as though its going to opt for a subdued, post-rock sound, with cleaner guitars and a minimal style of playing that stands in stark contrast to the technicality of the previous track, but ultimately morphs into a robust and hook-laden juggernaut that again sees the free form, progressive melodies and power metal pomp return, ebbing and flowing between styles and tempos with ease, creating an exceedingly dramatic and effective sound that is thoroughly engrossing, meaning that there’s little, if any, dull moments present here. Sapphire, with its slower, thicker sound, provides a ponderous take on the musical template of the previous three songs, before suddenly bursting into life and reverting to the cavernous, airy and frenetic approach that has served earlier songs so well. It’s again performed with a finesse and skill that means that various musical touches are able to be expertly blended together, whilst not losing sight of the searing black metal that lies at its core, proving to be one final mesmerising and mesmerising slab of inventive and immersive extremity.

Listening to this album, and indeed revisiting both Hopeless and Nothing, as well as David Lovejoy‘s output under the SORROW PLAGUES name, fully showcases just how intricate and masterful its mastermind has become as a songwriter over the course of the last decade. In a scene as saturated with talent as the UK’s extreme metal underground is, several jaw-dropping musicians tend to get overlooked, but even so, the music that CORRODING SOUL have produced so far is well worth far wider attention than it is currently getting, with each of this album’s four tracks being universally amazing and eclectic in not only their slick musicianship but also distinct take upon atmospheric black metal.

This is a musical niche that is often prone to tired tropes and limpid production, guaranteeing that this stands head and shoulders above much of what is being produced within this style and showing just how great it can sound if it is approached imaginatively.

Rating: 8/10

Corroding Soul is out now via self-release.

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