This is the debut album from Portuguese death metal band Ethereal Wound.
Defile | Demise contains 38 minutes of death metal that’s blackened, dissonant, and atmospheric. Ethereal Wound, (along with a session drummer, from Ashen Horde, Evilyn, Norse, Somnium Nox, Virulent Depravity, and many more), have produced a striking record that offers a rewarding, satisfying experience.
Defile | Demise strikes a good balance between impenetrable darkness and mood-rich aggression. The music brings together harsh dissonance, blackened ice, venomous, riffs, and tense atmosphere. It’s a combination that manifests as a refined vision of extremity. This is material that exists on a higher level of quality than is the norm.
The songs are ferocious, but also allow for variety in styles. For example, there is a focus on intricate worldbuilding that’s richly defined, bringing in occasional elements of warped drone, colossal doom, and spectral grandeur. I like this aspect of the music a great deal, as it allows Ethereal Wound to flesh out their otherworldly sound even further. These complement the black and death metal that power Defile | Demise, resulting in an album of textured layers and dark delights that are ripe for exploration.
The songs are well-written, with an enticing grasp of dissonant dynamics. Ethereal Wound’s use of blackened hostility and atmospheric depth reinforce the cold dissonant death metal heart of the music, and I really like how the band tie it all together. There is an interesting range of ideas expressed throughout the album too, most of which work well, making for songs that are typically greater than the sum of their parts.
Defile | Demise is a very good album indeed. If you’re a connoisseur of bands such as Deathspell Omega, Convulsing, Imperial Triumphant, Suffering Hour, Portal, and Ulcerate, then make room for Ethereal Wound in your life.
Wonderbox Metal 