ALBUM REVIEW: Divine Council – Psycroptic
It’s been a minute since the last full-length from the Australian kings of extreme metal but your patience is due to be rewarded! PSYCROPTIC are poised to unleash their eighth album entitled Divine Council on August 5th via Prosthetic Records and it is certainly worth the wait.
If you wanted your senses relentlessly bludgeoned as soon as you press that big shiny play button then Rend Asunder has your name written all over it. The drum work is simply phenomenal and leaves you reeling immediately. Top it off with the frenetic riff sequences and caustic vocal bursts and you’re in for one hell of a ride. A Fool’s Errand keeps the momentum gushing at a scintillating pace, throwing ridiculous grooves and exhilarating hooks into the mix. Sometimes bands have a tendency to cram as many notes into a bar as physically possible just to polish their ego but every single little nuance in PSYCROPTIC‘s arsenal is completely justified and only exemplifies the sheer songwriting prowess this talented outfit possesses. This Shadowed World continues to punish with vicious rounds of pummelling blast beats and wild guitar work. A literal ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moment as Joe Haley‘s fretboard is taken for a serious workout.
Enslavement takes a more restrained approach at first but its jarring nature hits just as hard. Don’t you worry, the tempo soon ramps up significantly when required for additional impact. The orchestral elements swarming around the background further enhance the chaos. Combined with the powerful screaming segments it is just breathtaking. Ashes Of Our Empire resumes the galloping assault as rapid bass lines run rampant. The feast of riffing throughout this track provides a huge surge of adrenaline. Throw in the brilliantly blended vocal layering and your head will feel like it’s about to spin off. The Prophet’s Council ventures down a rarely trodden path in the band’s history, introducing a wave of cleaner, less destructive tone into their repertoire and this release benefits from it greatly, breaking up the sheer savagery for a brief period and allowing it to come back at you with even more vigour and force.
Awakening emits an ominous tension into the air. Hefty rounds of aggression spring forth in amongst the intense soundscape making this the most unpredictable track to decipher thus far but also the most gripping. A Fragile Existence will feel familiar to some if you have checked out 2020’s The Watcher Of All EP. A welcome addition considering the many invigorating aspects that this track harbours. Exitus has very little intention of allowing this release to just casually wander off over the horizon, hitting you with a barrage of visceral vocals and crushing drum beats. Allowing for zero respite bar the closing synths, this track will leave you gasping for breath by the time it is finished with you.
PSYCROPTIC have once again proven why they are practically peerless sat in the upper echelons of extreme metal. Divine Council is a masterclass of technicality from start to finish, leaving you in a state of awe and utter amazement at the unfathomable level of consistency the Aussies possess. Twenty years of bringing the world to its knees with their staggering musicianship and long may it continue.
Rating: 9/10
Divine Council is set for release on August 5th via Prosthetic Records.
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