Ossuarium - Living Tomb
Death metal is alive and well in Portland, Oregon, the home base of Ossuarium, who just dropped their debut album, Living Tomb, via 20 Buck Spin.
Ossuarium | Photo: Matt Pie
In 2017, Ossuarium released a three-track demo called Calcified Trophies Of Violence, which immediately made an impression on anyone who listened. Of the three tracks, “Abhorrent Travesty” probably speaks best concerning the band’s ability to coalesce musically, as well as to their tightness. Living Tomb confirms the band’s gift.
Made up of Daniel Kelley (guitar, vocals), Ryan Koger (drums), Nate McCleary (guitar), and Jeff Roman (bass), Ossuarium’s sound blends elements of death and doom metal into dense, gooey music full of massive heft and oodles of resonance.
Living Tomb embraces eight tracks, beginning with the 36-second intro, which sets the stage. “Blaze of Bodies” opens on dirty pounding guitars flowing into a subsequent duplicate refrain rife with stuttering energy. Growling, demonic vocals infuse the tune with dark, evil tones.
“Vomiting Black Death” rides a measured tempo and sepulchral-like guitars that, as the song advances, take on glimmers of lighter hues. A marching section features marvelous percussive fills by Koger, especially his use of the tom-toms. “Corrosive Hallucinations” is probably the weakest track on the album because of the stridently stuttering guitars, which come across as forced. Bereft of the sputtering tones, it’s a strong song, especially the wailing, spiraling guitar solo – a stellar display of talent on the axe by McCleary.
Galloping guitars open “Malicious Equivalence,” and then drop down into grinding low-slung murky colors of hypertrophic profundity.
“Writhing In Emptiness” pulses with hammering energy and opaque colors from the bowels of hell. Heavy fills by Koger’s drums give the tune a Neanderthal resonance akin to the ghost glow of foam from Tartarus. McCleary struts his stuff on the solo section, delivering incandescent licks.
“End Of Life Dreams And Visions Part 1” opens on a lengthy intro, followed by muscular guitars thrumming with black momentum, as well a how-to lesson on drumming by Koger, whose style exhibits reckless brio and wonderful bravura effects.
Galloping guitars open “Malicious Equivalence,” and then drop down into grinding low-slung murky colors of hypertrophic profundity. Feedback effects add another dimension to the harmonics, one not usually utilized by doom bands.
Part 2 of “End Of Life Dreams And Visions” is my favorite track on the album because of twin layers of color from the guitars: one of bottomless depth, the other brighter and gorgeously expressive.
Living Tomb is grand. Innovative, non-derivative melodies packed with abysmal sonic brawniness and formidable rhythms make this album a must-listen-to.
