The Denver based death metallers Pile of Priests return with their second full-length release. This self-titled sophomore effort represents a distinct evolution in the sound of the band, with vocalist and riff master Evan Salvador declaring that this record “encompasses the true sound” that the band have been striving for since their conception. Evolving from their heavily thrash influenced first record Void To Enlightenment, this record incorporates more progressive, technical, melodic instrumentation and a stronger death metal character while continuing to provide the infectious and catchy riffs present in the band’s sound.
The change is clear to see from the very beginning of the record with the intro track being entirely comprised of a haunting piano, whose reverberated notes ring out as if being played in an empty, cavernous church hall. This sets the scene for the evil and menacing story contained within the record.
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In a nod to their increased ambition this album, the nine tracks weave together a fun and interesting story of Kings, sorceresses and the corrupting influence of religion. In an effort to sufficiently execute the story-telling aspect of this album, many tracks like Death of the Paragon and Deus Delenda Est feature extended spoken-word passages and the epic nine-minute closer of the album The Restitution begins with a two minute clean female vocal section. While these parts provide an interesting context for those interested in the story, I found it did take away a bit from the overall brutality of the album.
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I can certainly see these elements adding to the scope and dynamic range of the album, however, I found myself wishing these parts to be over quickly so I could return to the excellent riffs featured in the rest of the song.
Fear not though, as plenty of songs on this album like The Aversion, Bloodstained Citadel and my personal favourite track on the album Conjunction of Souls explode immediately into banging death metal riffs with a devious technical edge that are certain to evoke plenty of head-banging. These songs work great blending chugging brutal verses with the more melodic phrases being sprinkled in between to increase the dynamic range of the songs being produced. Overall the instrumentation is highly impressive, with searing guitar leads and pounding percussion certain to delight fans of heavy and technical music.
For fans of technical/melodic death metal who enjoy a bit of storytelling intertwined with their brutal riffs, this album is certainly worth your attention. The great riffs and overall energy of the album more than make up for the minor complaints I had. I’m keen to see how Pile of Priests continue to develop this new sound that they have embraced on this record, as they have firmly placed themselves on my radar with this effort.
Release Year: 2020
Label: Extreme Metal Music
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Jarrad Fisher
