Review by Alex on January 13, 2021.

Drooling for more, as though this is the first time ever hearing death/doom metal. This band going by the name Slough of Despair may have read my mind. This is what death/doom really sounds like whenever I hear the term. Riffs with jagged teeth, dragging you slowly on the mildew, cold, hard concrete. Catacombs of Terror is like that horror movie you can't stop going back to regardless of how many times you've seen it. The movie here, the way I perceive it is existence and the unsound elements challenging each breath.

It's hard to believe there was barely any coverage of the album given how excellent the music is as a result of its direct and meticulous crafting. The production is impeccable, and is exploited by outstanding synth and melodic guitar sections as heard on 'Burial of Sanity' and 'Humanity's Crucifixion', yet within the clean sound resids a rather hideous and vile attitude compliments of the nasty rasps of the vocalist who has a somewhat similar style to those heard in Vastum. This ongoing battle between beauty and beast is what makes this album special and keeps you nodding away to a swift descent into slumber.

The guitar work is just fabulous, hence 'Shattered Reality' and 'Cursed Fate' magnify the effect of what Slough of Despair do on Catacombs of Terror. Perhaps my favorite characteristic of the album, but only by a slim margin given all other aspects trail closely behind. The drumming has its moments too given the beefy thump, oftentimes aided by the spacy and eerie guitar work. They sort of broaden the atmosphere especially when the power chords are synchronised with certain snare and cymbal sections.

The song titles give you an idea as to what is being addressed, yet it's the way the band goes about it that gives you the feeling of watching something actively regress into a state of total negativity. It's just incredible this album, and coming from Greece, I'm not surprised given it's the place I've discovered some of metal's best kept secrets.

To be released on CD through Chaos Records and Personal Records, February 26th 2021.

Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Review by Adam M on March 24, 2017.

Mors Principium Est performs melodic death metal that displays the typical proceedings of the genre in recent times. There is that mid-paced groove that bands like Omnium Gatherum have present in their sound immediately present. This sound has come up a lot recently in the genre and has made for a mainstay for melodic death metal. The sound hits the sweet spot.

It isn’t too technical, but it’s indulgent enough to catch your interest. This makes for a memorable recording that one could still remember more than they do. It’s a balance that is struck and makes for a template that melodic death metal bands should base their songs upon. The problem is that Omnium Gatherum performs the style better than this band slightly. This leads to a recording that could be better, but that is still sufficient for the genre. The band has a good deal of passion, but could have more. They have the great riffs that are necessary for melodic death metal, but they could push further in interesting directions as well.

This all leads up to a recording that works well, but could have been better. I’m trying to push this band because their excellent The Unborn album still remains a mainstay for the melodic death metal genre for me. They have managed to make competent music since that album, but it doesn’t quite tickle the same nerve as that album did. The solid Reclaim the Sun is an early highlight and sets the bar for the remainder of the music here. The very last song Apprentice of Death is solid too. These tracks are never beaten later on and take precedence over the rest.

Embers of a Dying Sun is a very solid death metal recording that has a solid presence in this year’s crop because there haven’t been many releases from this subgenre yet.

Rating: 7.6 out of 10