The underground is nothing if not an exceedingly weird place. Where the more standard visions collide with those seeking to craft something of a sort heretofore unheard of, it’s a realm that’s constantly churning with inspiration, creativity, and splendor of a sort that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. As such, we are treated to the sporadic birth of some truly exceptional acts. For every legion of bands out there looking to create their own intrigue well within the confines of any given style, there’s one that refuses to conform to the rules as it looks to do something distinctly its own. Saprovore has already proven itself to be such an outlier, yet it is here with its forthcoming second album that those concepts are taken to another level.
It was just weeks ago that I came before Saprovore for the first time, and I still vividly remember being so very interested in what was thrown down in that deeply chaotic blend of black-death metal with an industrial edge. I knew from the mastermind himself that a follow-up was not far behind as that previous EP, “Unuttered Aporetic Omen”, was part of a “manic creative frenzy” that saw two albums conceived within two months. Needless to say, I was intrigued by the prospect of a swift return, but it’s with the twisted reality of “Numinous Abditory Deflagration” that I’ve come to realize just how far Saprovore has pushed itself. This is anything but a record for the faint of heart as I can only liken this record as a gradual yet ferocious spiral into the deepest pits of madness without a shred of mercy to be had for those who find themselves unwittingly before the dark, otherworldly menace of Saprovore. From its haunting instrumentation to its unyielding songwriting that feels like the last desperate cry of a mad god seeking retribution for its own demise, “Numinous Abditory Deflagration” is a work that writhes in its own spectacle, always reaching for something that’s seems to always elude its grasp as that frustration and anguish pushes the record ever further into its own depths of insanity towards an end that is anything but conclusive much less satisfying. While more intense in its industrial aspects, this record sees the finer elements of Saprovore brought more into focus to make this record not just the other side of a coin to its predecessor, but, rather, a transmutation the likes of which we witness in real time as every subsequent second is shown to us in excruciating detail.
Easily, either of the records Saprovore put forth this year could have fallen apart from not spending enough time in the oven. But, instead, “Numinous Abditory Deflagration” shows us that each step taken by Saprovore is terrifically intentional. Every moment of out-of-the-box craftsmanship comes together stupendously to not only make this record intensely dynamic from beginning to end, but a true challenge of a listen that makes one feel as though they’re listening to something they probably shouldn’t lest some grand cosmic entity punish them for their foolish pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Yet, one cannot help but be enticed by the maddening works of Saprovore.
“Numinous Abditory Deflagration” releases on August 7th via I, Voidhanger Records!
LISTEN to an advanced track from “Numinous Abditory Deflagration” on Bandcamp here.
FOLLOW Saprovore on Instagram here.