ALBUM REVIEW: Master’s Personae – Exhumation

Since the release of their first material back in 2011, EXHUMATION have become one of the many bands within the Indonesian underground that have been consistently impressive and noxious in their approach to extreme metal. Embracing a brand of death metal that draws heavily from the genre’s embryonic late-80s sound, which often saw hints of black, thrash and even doom metal creep into many band’s sounds, the band update this caustic style for a modern audience, often not shying away from peppering their more grating offerings with soaring melodies. Each of their albums are fantastic in their own right, with 2020’s Eleventh Formulae in particular firmly establishing the duo as a force to be reckoned with, and now their latest, fourth album, Master’s Personae, not only doubles down on the feral edge that record possessed, but also sees the band’s sound adopt a decidedly more inventive and vicious aspect than ever before.

In Death Vortex, a darkly epic, forceful slab of blackened death metal, kicks things off in style with primitive drums, sharp guitars and searing vocals creating a lean yet rabid sound right off the bat. It’s a song that blends together the frenetic and disjointed approach of proto-extreme metal with some slick, melodic hooks that make this a fierce yet punchy opening gambit that immediately grabs the listener’s attention. Pierce The Abyssheart plays up to the harder, war metal elements within the band’s sound, with forceful, thrashing chords, authoritative drums and acerbic barks all creating an impenetrable sound that veers prominently towards a faster, more chaotic brand of extremity than was present on the opener.

Funereal Dreams swings in the opposite direction, accentuating the underlying catchiness and crafting a more focused, polished effort than the previous two, although it’s certainly not without its more feral moments. Chaos Feasting couples the energetic, powerful sound of the last song with rhythmic guitar playing, which matches up well with the rumbling undercurrent of the drums and the sinister vocal rasp, bringing together the harsher and grandiose components within this record’s sound seamlessly without allowing one to dominate the overall tone. The Martyr’s Lament is a short, atmospheric interlude comprised of crisp, crystalline guitars and shimmering ambience, stripping away the aggression almost entirely and serving as a brilliant segue into the album’s second half.

Thine Inmost Curse, with its slower, ominous sound, muscular chords and percussive drumming, initially feels far more measured, before abruptly shifting into what is arguably the most cacophonous effort on the whole album, with the demented hooks, belligerent beats and visceral vocal vitriol merging into a blistering, primal sound that is characterised by unbridled ferocity. Perilous Tongue adopts an angular guitar sound that places great emphasis on their discordant aspects, with the drums and bass providing a great backdrop for this adventurous riffing. The vocals, similarly, add an abrasive roar that matches up perfectly with the biting music that backs them, making this an impactful offering without having to resort to unhinged tempos and outright ferocity.

Thy Mighty Locution serves as a continuation of this formula, with tight, imposing guitar work and bestial vocals developing a huge feel that lends it an utterly cavernous sound, whilst reintroducing those primordial, bellicose elements that make this album’s more caustic numbers effective, and incorporating some acoustic touches as the song reaches it climax to add another layer to the crowded sound. Mahapralaya, with its jarring hooks and precise timing, is one of the album’s most focused and stringent pieces, allowing the disjointed and noxious ingredients from the previous eight tracks to rise prominently to the fore, accentuating the harsher, technical parts of this band’s sound. The Scenic Desolation, much like The Martyr’s Lament, shifts the tone of the music away from extreme metal in favour of hazy ambience and atmosphere, concluding this album in an ethereal manner that stands apart from almost everything else on it.

Following up an album like Eleventh Formulae was always going to be a challenge, but the music on Master’s Personae is often on par with the material on that record, capturing the same primal energy and drawing from the same mix of black, death and thrash metal influences that made the former such an impressive album. If anything, the band’s sound has gotten even more feral and imposing, with the harsher production and blistering, chaotic flourishes turning much of what is present here into a more visceral affair without sacrificing any of the punchy and powerful musicianship that they are known for. This is an album that pushes EXHUMATION‘s approach to music to even more strident levels of intensity, serving as one of their most savage outings to date, and perhaps their creative peak as well.

Rating: 8/10

Master’s Personae is out now via Pulverised Records.

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