Death metal has for many years been transforming, twisting, and turning into a plethora of different sub-genres. All of them really not much different from the next, but for a few technical and emotional differences. Escarion a 4 piece band from Melbourne Australia is one of those who’s managed to marry both traditional deaths with technical and progressive. This is a feat only really attained by a handful of bands. I first came across the genre in all its full force when as a naïve 18-year old I tagged along to see Deicide at the Astoria in London on their first world tour. Let’s just say that it had a lasting effect on me. I am not saying John Arhondis (Vocals and guitar) is in any way like Glen Benton stylistically or vocally. What am saying is that like Glen he is a very big presence in this recording.
Based on the 7 deadly sins each track is thematically written. You have a solid and beautifully crafted intro Inferno that welcomes you to what may lay ahead.
Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Pride, Wrath, and Sloth. This pushes the boundaries, as I said before from the usual death fare. Moving into the realms of a concept album. But unlike most progressive death metal the music is not so technical and impenetrable as to make it unlistenable. This I feel is ESCARION’S masterstroke
The album belts along at such a pace that by the time you get to the outro song Home (Where the heart is) a thumping rhythmically heavy behemoth of a track disturbing yet beautiful. The change of pace from an almost classical metal moment to the darkest of death riffing is sublime. Like me, you might think hey where did that go.
The band consists of Rhys Mckenzie Bass, Tim Bottams drums, and Tommy Lewko on the second Guitar having released their first EP in 2017 you would be the sound of them having thought that they had been on the circuit for many years.
This is the sort of local act that makes you proud to be Australian and shows yet again that the cities around this country continue to produce their fair share of QUALITY metal and hard rock. These guys would with this record sit comfortably on the same bill as Progressive death metal giants, Ne Obliviscaris and Opeth, along with traditional acts like Morbid Angel, Death, and Possessed. Proving my point again that the mix of both traditional, technical and progressive is so well blended here as to almost be its own sub-genre.
I for one will follow these guys’ future closely this is by far the best Death Metal album I have heard in a very long time.
Escarion: Facebook
Release Year: 2021
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Tony Evans
