Drouth – The Teeth of Time (Review)

This is the second album from US black/death metal band Drouth.

It’s been five long years since 2020’s Excerpts from a Dread Liturgy, but now Drouth are back, with a new bassist in tow, (current/ex-Cormorant/Ursa). So, let’s turn our attention to the five new songs we have here in the form of the 41-minute The Teeth of Time.

For a rough idea of where The Teeth of Time is coming from, think of a mix of bands such as Altar of Plagues, Black Curse, Dödsrit, and Weakling.

Drouth’s engaging music mixes together black and death metal into a ball of intensity and violence. There’s a near-feral energy here though that’s also driven by a fusion of crust influences and war metal ones. In an unholy union, this sits alongside a mood-rich depth that manifests as a form of triumphant apocalyptic majesty.

The band use vicious riffs to slash and tear at the fragile fabric of reality, while dark melodies rend the airwaves with spectral claws. The latter can be surprisingly upbeat in places, but this just means that they kill with a smile on their leering faces. There are atmospheric components; typically these are incorporated into the frenzied aggression, although at times the assault lessens, allowing Drouth the space to use different paces and layers to build atmospheres that infect the listener with emotion.

Droutyh aren’t alone here either; three impressive guests, (Laurie Sue Shanaman (Ludicra, Ails), Christie Cather (Ludicra, The Keening), and Eva Vonne (Isenordal, Dead to a Dying World)), add further texture to the release.

The Teeth of Time is a very enjoyable record. It boasts a compelling mix of old and new, from the second wave and war metal subgenres, to the modern and crust-powered versions of the style. Drouth have produced an album that’s chaotic enough to feel dangerous, yet coherent enough to have an appeal broader than that of a merely brutal band. With feet in multiple stylistic camps, Drouth tie it all together with a passionate, fiery delivery, resulting in five songs that hit the spot.

Very highly recommended.