For all that can still be accomplished in the realms where black and death metal cross over, it can oftentimes feel as though there aren’t enough bands out there really tapping into the potential chaos that we all know such a sound can conceive so long as it’s given the proper attention in the right areas. It doesn’t happen often, but a name that can come around and show us precisely how it’s done is almost always a sight that people are not wont to let go. For years now, Cosmic Putrefaction has been the embodiment of that concept with the act’s fourth album a strong testament to that fact.

To know exactly what this corner of the metal underground has been up to and all of its high-mark releases is to intimately know the name of Gabriele Gramaglia and all that he has done with Cosmic Putrefaction arguably his most well-known act currently, and there’s good reason for that. Having been a menace to the very notion of peace since day one, Cosmic Putrefaction has never been lacking in density, complex songwriting, and top-tier craftsmanship in the realm of black-death metal to the point that “masterful” is the only word to use when describing what’s gone on here with “Emerald Fires Atop the Farewell Mountains” yet another showcasing of the man’s unyielding power and artistic vision. A caustic continuation of what’s been thrown down before, the entire journey of what’s to be found throughout these seven tracks of immensity is nothing short of grandiose and impressive by all accounts with Cosmic Putrefaction once again showcasing naught but god-level excellence after only two years since its previous effort that was already a setting-the-bar type of release to begin with. Slowly incorporating a more varied collection of influences to make this already-packed cauldron of insanity all the more potent and volatile that could be downright explosive in lesser hands, the viciously layered sound of Cosmic Putrefaction has only deepened here. Whether you lose yourself in its fleeting but gripping acoustic moments, compelled forward by its titanic riffage, or become utterly hypnotized by the horrific, mind-crumbling passages of sight not meant for human eyes, the sheer glow of “Emerald Fires Atop the Farewell Mountains” is enough to sate the thirst of any who have been craving extreme metal of this insanely high-level creation.

From the beginning, Cosmic Putrefaction has been a name to know and respect. The evolution that the name has gone through over the years simply cannot be understated nor given enough credit for all that it has accomplished, and I know damn well that there is still so much more than this act can accomplish if simply given more time. Regardless of whatever is to come next, “Emerald Fires Atop the Farewell Mountains” is a stunning release that is now amongst great company in the growing discography of Cosmic Putrefaction, and but one more grand reason why this is an act we simply need to hail for all that it has accomplished.

LISTEN to “Emerald Fires Atop the Farewell Mountains” on Bandcamp here.

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