Onirophagus – Revelations from the Void (Review)

Onirophagus are a Spanish death/doom metal band and this is their third album.

It’s been some time since Onirophagus graced us with the crushing slab of death/doom that was 2019’s Endarkenment (Illumination Through Putrefaction), but now the band have returned. The 48-minute Revelations from the Void is a leaner beast than its predecessor, with shorter songs, (significantly so in many cases), and an increase in atmospheric malevolence that’s remarkable.

With a new lineup, Onirophagus have become a more focused entity, it seems. The band’s crushing approach to music is still apparent, although now refined into shorter compositions that burn all of the fat away. The songs combine death and doom metal to produce aggressive, atmospheric, and melodic structures that brutalise, immerse, and transport. There’s also a blackened edge to parts of the music that appeals immensely.

I like that Revelations from the Void is both ambitious and tempered. Onirophagus seem more capable of distilling what they want to do into songs that are effective and focused, and have tightened and developed their songwriting accordingly to accomplish this.

The songs are imbued with dark emotion, which is capably portrayed by the skilled use of melody and by the singer’s improved vocals. Improved how? Well, they range wider this time around, broadening out from the cavernous growls to other types of harsh vocals, utterances, shouts, roars, and clean/semi-clean singing. It’s impressive stuff.

Alongside this though, the band can riff. It may be largely heavy and slow, but Revelations from the Void doesn’t neglect the death metal side of the death/doom equation. There’s ample brutality here, welded to the core framework of old-school doom metal that forms the main body of the music.

Heavy, atmospheric, and potent, Revelations from the Void is a strong return from Onirophagus. The band have taken the strengths of their past work, mercilessly removed anything unnecessary, and ramped up the sinister, occult atmospheres further.

Very highly recommended.