This is the third album from Swedish death metal band Carnosus.
2023’s very enjoyable Visions of Infinihility made a splash in the death metal pond, and now Wormtales is here to capitalise. Let’s see what Carnosus have for us this time around.
The promo blurb tells us that Wormtales is a heavier and darker incarnation of Carnosus, which is roughly accurate.
The music is a death metal one that combines a technical foundation, a melodic edge, and a progressive sheen. The references I pointed to on my review of Visions of Infinihility mostly stand, but on these new songs Carnosus boast a bigger sound and an increased technicality. So, a refined list might be something like The Black Dahlia Murder, Revocation, Archspire, Psycroptic, and Obscura.
Across 40 minutes Carnosus convince with their engaging and well-constructed style. The songs have hooks, riffs, and melodies that make their marks, blending the melodic, technical, and progressive death metal worlds with ease. It’s an easily enjoyable album if you’re a fan of the style and the artists mentioned above. Wormtales offers a satisfying meal for anyone who likes their death metal intricate and sharp.
Carnosus have distilled their influences into ten tracks that showcase their personable brand of death metal in a compelling light.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 