Band: Ageless Oblivion
Title: Temples Of Transcendent Evolution
Label: Siege Of Amida Records
Distribution: Siege Of Amida Records
Release date: February 7th 2011
Review: CD

Hampshire, UK-based formation Ageless Oblivion were born out of the ashes of Arkane. Last year, the band entered the Foel Studios with producer Chris Fielding (think: label mates and ‘neighbours’ Dyscarnate, Primordial, Napalm Death, Moss, Electric Wizard etc). Temples Of Transcendent Evolution is the band’s debut, and damn, this is an innovative, as well as a skull-crushing one.
These forty two minutes open with the short intro Monument, which indeed is a monumental track. It brings the most obscure and ominous form of Black Funeral Drone, but beware: this is misleading to define the rest of the album. Why? Because Temples … isn’t a Sludge or Drone album; Temples … is Death Metal of the modern school, injecting the old school as well. The technical, slightly progressing songs are mainly inspired by the American scene. There are blasting elements that remind me to Morbid Angel, Nile and Hate Eternal, as well as grinding ones that bring bands as Dying Fetus or Suffocation to mind. But the album does not sound ‘just USDM’. The European scene, of course, has been of influence too – think Decapitated, Gojira or Hour Of Penance. This too goes for both the technical 21st-century’s approach (with a few rather experimental riffs), and an early nineties’ one (including the slow-down parts). And referring again to the opening track, that sludgy (and slightly doomish) ingredient is a thing that comes back from time to time. It isn’t but sporadically, but some excerpts -going for both riffs / leads and rhythm-sound(s)- do hint towards Rune, Cult Of Luna, Isis or even Mogwai.

75/100

Ivan Tibos.