ALBUM REVIEW: Vazio – Sepulcros

You should never judge a book by its cover, but the debut album from Portuguese death-doomers SEPULCROS leaves little to the imagination on their debut Vazio. The album cover – a mist-covered hellscape – is reminiscent of the crushing death metal that was coming out of the late-80s and early-90s. Vazio translates to empty, indicating the sort of misanthropic pummelling the listener is about to receive.

If it all sounds a little try-hard and cliché, SEPULCROS quickly put these fears to rest. Ignoring the opener, Involucro Oco, and the closer, Humana Vacuidade; both one-minute instrumentals, the like of which are abundant in the genre. The meat of this album is very impressive. Sérgio Batista has the evilest sounding vocals. A deep guttural roar that underpins everything the band are trying to do. Backed up by an accomplished group of musicians, with monolithic riffing and thunderous drumming. With just one song dropping under the eight-minute mark, this five-piece manage to vary the pace. The sudden bursts of blasting death metal slice through the crushing atmosphere that builds through the opening of each song.

If there is a complaint to be had, it’s that each song tends to follow a similar formula. The slow build establishes the dark and heavy themes of the track, followed by a more aggressive section to get heads banging, then settling into a mid-paced whirlwind of guitar lines, growls and a deliberate drumbeat. Then again, if it ain’t broke… and SEPULCROS have more than enough talent to keep you listening, even if you can predict where the song is going. Consider it more like a well-made 80’s slasher. You’re not expecting massive twists or turns, you’re there for the ride, and this is one hell of a ride.

The centrepiece, Magno Caos, keeps the slow-burning doom running longer. It’s a track where the band’s atmosphere shines through. The drums echo up from the back of the production, while the guitars and bass sound just discordant to put you on edge. When they kick into gear towards the end, the drums are the first clue, gradually building pace, while the guitar lines turn cyclic and swirl around Batista’s incredible vocal performance. The quiet opening of Hecatombe is a relief after the breathless finale of Magno Caos. For three minutes, we listen to the band build themselves up to the all-out battering that comes later. In full death metal mode, with sharp riffing and insanely fast drumming, they end the album on a high.

There is little new here. Vazio is unlikely to pull in new fans to the genre, nor establish SEPULCROS as some reinvigorating force. It doesn’t rewrite the playbook on death/doom but it shows an excellent understanding of why it works. Two genres so intrinsically linked, and this five-piece make merging them look easy. Vazio is a powerhouse of a debut, equal parts imposing and punishing. It marks the band as one to watch out for in the future.

Rating: 8/10

Vazio is out now via Transcending Obscurity Records.

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