I’ve been a fan of death metal for a few years now and I can happily say that I can really enjoy it when a band creates some normal death metal that fits perfectly in the norm of the style and does nothing to bring anything new to the table. But, sometimes I just want to hear something different and something that I can really sink my teeth into. As if in direct response to such a desire, the anomaly that is Moss Upon the Skull slithered towards me with their stunning display that is an entity all on its own.

One of the things that can really sell an “out there” band of death metal for me is their image; plain and simple. With a cover art like that and being represented by the label who has single-handedly given us landmark releases for the underground from the likes of Mare Cognitum and Spectral Lore, it goes without saying that you have my attention. Not even three songs into the weird and surprisingly organic realm that is “In Vengeful Reverence” and I found myself in love with what Moss Upon the Skull has been able to do for death metal what so many others shudder at the thought of. The whole of “In Vengeful Reverence” is single-handedly the most organic death metal album I’ve ever heard from across the board of the style, and in all that fluidity Moss Upon the Skull constantly sneaks in new surprises at every possible turn to maximum effect. Each track is already jock full of amazement from start to finish, but somehow Moss Upon the Skull keeps the excitement overflowing as “In Vengeful Reverence” is an album that never repeats itself for even a heartbeat, it’s an album that takes more than one spin to really experience, it’s a truly unique take on death metal that we simply don’t get a lot and is something that should be cherished! In every form, “In Vengeful Reverence” takes death metal right on its own head and takes us for a ride that we’ve never been on before with each track being something completely new and each note bringing a unique euphoria to the mix that I’ve only seen on a handful of occasions before this.

Should there be any single death metal release that has seemingly come out of nowhere that we all need to stop and admire to the fullest extent it is undoubtedly “In Vengeful Reverence” as it’s everything we never knew we needed. Moss Upon the Skull hasn’t put out much material before this, but it’s with these ten tracks that this Belgian act has shown us how truly talented they are, and I’ve a feeling it only gets better from here.

“In Vengeful Reverence” releases on October 19th via I, Voidhanger Records!

LISTEN to previous Moss Upon the Skull material on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Moss Upon the Skull on Facebook here.