This is the debut album from US death metallers Ritual Mass.
Cascading Misery brings us a filth-ridden 41 minutes of hideous death metal darkness, replete with a crushing dose of doom. Ritual Mass dominate through a terrifying blend of ferocity and dread-inducing atmosphere.
As a starting point for approaching Cascading Misery, armour yourself with the trappings of bands such as Civerous, Decrepisy, Gateway, Fossilization, Incantation, Phrenelith, Mortiferum, Rothadás, Spectral Voice, and the like. Only then can you face what Ritual Mass bring into the world and have any hope of survival.
This is death metal that’s heavily atmospheric, but without sacrificing its inherently brutal nature. It’s death metal that’s given to wanton violence and belligerent barbarity, but it’s also dismal, hopeless, and bleak. There is a doom aspect to the music, but this merely enhances the whole, rather than being the main focus. Ritual Mass are first and foremost a death metal assault on the senses, one cloaked in grim atmosphere. The latter may sometimes be cruelly chained to the savagery the band unleash, but it’s always present in some amount, like a disease that cannot be cured.
The harsher, more aggressive side of Cascading Misery is merciless and unforgiving. It’s murderous in its punishing weight, and is absolutely ruthless. When Ritual Mass follow their more atmospheric proclivities – regardless of how fast or brutal things become – that’s when Cascading Misery truly comes into its own. For much of the time the forceful underpinning carnage is saturated by sinister otherworldly melodies and ghastly mood-rich heaviness. On the occasions when this is fully unfettered and Ritual Mass completely commit to their lethal malevolent worldbuilding, it is quite something; when the full horror of the material is unleashed fully, it’s quite a monstrous thing to behold. The apex of this nightmare synthesis of the brutal and the atmospheric is probably the album’s 14-minute closer, Disquiet.
The heart of Cascading Misery is one of quality, above average death metal fury. Amidst the destruction and oppressive auras you’ll find riffs that hit like spiked maces, and so many rhythmic beatings that you’ll need a serious level of personal protection to avoid ending up a bloody red smear on the floor. These often interact with eerie leads in ways that are greater than the sum of their parts too – the end section of Looming Shapeless Entity is a sterling example of this, but there are many others.
Yep, this is damn good stuff. It’s a very strong collection of tracks. Ritual Mass have succeeded in creating a feast of rotting death metal awfulness that’s extremely satisfying. The recording, performances, songwriting, and forbidding atmospheres all conspire to make Cascading Misery is triumph of fiercely distressing torment. And, if you have a taste for this sort of unpleasantness, than that can only be a very, very good thing indeed.
Make time in your life for Cascading Misery, and embrace the crushing darkness.
Wonderbox Metal 