There has never once been a shortage in ways of Lovecraft in what the world of metal tends to bring to the table conceptually. Much like Tolkien’s hold upon the genre, the madness of Lovecraft is something that suits many of the different styles magnificently as bands can really tap into that very intensity in such a way that feels genuine to the inspiring material and nothing short of devastating when done properly. While it’s the likes of The Great Old Ones that have already done Lovecraft extreme justice yet again with their new album, it is with their third record that Skaphos offers a performance that is more than worthy of mentioning in the same breath.

It’s not an uncommon practice by any stretch of the imagination to see bands coming out of the woodwork to offer reverence to influential arts of all different kinds, yet there just aren’t many that are able to truly encapsulate the sheer magnitude, intensity, and dark psychedelia that one needs in order to illicit many of the same notions that Lovecraft’s unique brand of paranoia and terror always embodied. Without a shred of compromise to those core values and with more than enough of an understanding of their breed of black-death metal, Skaphos does not disappoint in the slightest for the absolute whole of “Cult of Uzura”. Thirteen utterly scathing and unrelenting tracks that seek to tear apart the very foundations of your soul and leave you a thrall to the overwhelming will of Skaphos, this is a record that leaves nothing to chance as it enchants you with its stunning mastery over the sound while constantly beckoning you deeper into the crushing depths. Twisted and never remaining the same place for long, it’s through monstrous riffs and intricate craftsmanship that makes “Cult of Uzura” a magnificent beast to behold that doesn’t merely just thrash you around and then leave you to ponder the experience once it comes to an end. Rather, the power and psychic influence of “Cult of Uzura” is singularly captivating.

Not so much as a single moment is wasted in the entirety of this performance to ensure that Lovecraft’s chaos is given an accurate and reverential representation the likes of which is as much an assault for the senses as much as they are a full-on assault. I have no doubt that we will continue to see many iterations of Lovecraft’s work throughout the underground as the year goes on, yet it is with all that Skaphos delivers within “Cult of Uzura” that they’ve more than earned a high position in such a conversation.

“Cult of Uzura” releases on May 9th via Transcending Obscurity Records!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Cult of Uzura” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Skaphos on Facebook here.