EP REVIEW: Death Is But A Door – Alluvial

In their short tenure, progressive death metal powerhouses ALLUVIAL have confidently displayed they are not a band to be taken lightly. With the creative genius of Wes Hauch at the helm, it is little surprise. If you somehow missed 2021’s Sarcoma release you would be strongly advised to rectify your wrongdoings. The commencement of 2024 ushers in a new chapter for the world of metal and along with it comes Death Is But A Door, which is due for release on January 12th via Nuclear Blast Records. What will they have in store for us this time?

Bog Dweller introduces itself like a pneumatic drill straight to your cranium, with surges of unforgiving blast beats, vicious vocal assaults, and hefty riffing segments. As it gathers momentum it also expands into flurries of maniacal technicality bolstered by monstrous grooves with enough seismic force to level a skyscraper in one swift movement. Fogbelt engulfs you in a bleak soundscape with dissonant squeals leading the charge. Crushing heaviness lurks around every bend, poised to strike on its unsuspecting prey.

Area Code sustains the onslaught with swift rounds of savage instrumentation. Frenetic drum sequences come hurtling towards you like speeding bullets, threatening to sever your spine from your skeleton if you get too close. Potent beatdowns also join the fray, seamlessly integrating with the unpredictable leaps in tempo. Death Is But A Door actually allows for a pocket of melody to seep into the overwhelming blanket of darkness. The intriguing vocal offerings switch between poignant, emotive tones and harsh, aggressive expulsions, forming an unexpected yet formidable pairing.

ALLUVIAL have utilised the short length format to perfection, with this 17-minute beast leaving the listener pleading for more. The core component throughout Death Is But A Door is the sheer, unrelenting force on display which is exhibited in such an enticing, ever-changing fashion that has you gripped during every second of its explosive runtime. The quartet have set the bar so high at this early stage of the year, it will be interesting to see if anyone dares to match them.

Rating: 9/10

Death Is But A Door is set for release on January 12th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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