Californian duo Sarcoptes, after releasing their excellent EP Plague Hymns in 2020, have unleashed their eagerly awaited follow-up; Prayers To Oblivion, five tracks of utterly devastating technical blackened thrash that overflows with energy and purpose.
This is intelligent music of the highest standard, where the subject matter ranges chronologically from the horrors of World War One to Vietnam. It marks all of society’s greatest tragedies in this time period and delivers them with one hundred percent conviction. From the relatively short ‘’Spanish Flu’’ through to the lengthy compositions that are ‘’The Trenches” and “Dead Silence “, both over thirteen minutes in length, these are epic explorations of their subject matter. What they are not is self-indulgent or bloated in any way.
They are razor-sharp ( The production is simply excellent ) explorations of cataclysm that combine excellent riffs and keyboard subtleties with fantastic time changes and tempos.
Sarcoptes music is as vibrant as it is punishing, brilliantly thought out and executed.
Each tack is stirring and stimulating, and the symphonic texture adds to the importance without being a distraction. Sarcoptes ability to combine tumultuous speed with dread and misery is excellent. The time changes and drumming, along with great riffs, make thirteen minutes so damn breathtakingly good they demand to be heard again.
Utterly intoxicating and incredibly memorable Sarcoptes leave a lasting impression in the psyche. Their music is up-tempo mayhem that is incredible, memorable, enjoyable and epic in its scope. Sarcoptes ability to deliver energetic visceral music combined with an ear for melody to create musical Armageddon is simply spectacular!
Sarcoptes: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Sparky
