Relics of Humanity – Absolute Dismal Domain (Review)

This is the third album from Belarus death metallers Relics of Humanity.

It’s been a while since 2019’s Obscuration came out; a devastating EP that left me hungry for more. Alas, there was no more to be had, at least not until now. So, after six years, and with a change in singer, can the 2025 version of Relics of Humanity still hold their own in the death metal killing arenas?

Hard yes.

This is sickeningly brutal stuff. The riffs ooze like tar and are as heavy as mountains. It’s absolutely disgusting, but in the best of ways. When opening intro Omen Apollyon lurches out of the speakers it’s like something monolithic and ancient has crawled out of the underworld to smother the galaxy in suffocating darkness. After this, you’re in for a world of hurt for 33 minutes in total.

Relics of Humanity are not messing around. This is brutal death metal of the nastiest kind. There are no concessions for respectability or wider appeal here, just a deeply felt urge to destroy. The overall impression of Absolute Dismal Domain – the sound, delivery, performances, etc. – is that it’s gloriously filthy, raw, caustic, and abrasive. This is an album that just wants to be as murderously foul as it can be.

Yet within this, there’s intelligence too. Yep, it’s crushingly barbaric and monstrously heavy, but one of the things that sets Absolute Dismal Domain apart from other, ostensibly similar death metal acts, is the songwriting. These songs are designed to smash your skull in, but the band want you to remember the beating you’ve just taken. Although there are blast beats deployed strategically for maximum effect, there’s a lot of slow and mid-paced material here; that the band can keep things interesting and engaging throughout is a testament to their abilities. The music is surprisingly memorable for something so punishing, and is even catchy in places. This is a hallmark of a brutal death metal band working at a higher level of hostile ability than their peers.

Absolute Dismal Domain is a top quality slab of gruesome brutal death metal malevolence. It’s as mercilessly dark and esoteric as the album cover, while delivering a bone breaking experience that’s not quickly forgotten. I would not at all be surprised if this ends up as one of the nastier death metal highlights of 2025.

Essential listening for fans of bands such as Analepsy, Brodequin, Carnophage, Cordyceps, Defeated Sanity, Devangelic, Devourment, Disentomb, Dying Fetus, Infecting the Swarm, Iniquitous Savagery, Pathology, Vomit Forth, etc.