Review by Michael on January 6, 2022.

After their debut EP Cosmophobos was released in 2019 Brazilian one-man black metal band Pralaya published another three-piece EP called Katabasis in 2021. First of all, the lovely designed booklet is quite mentionable. Pictures in it (each one represents one of the tracks) are really very detailed and are a nice eye-catcher. The cover has a spiritual flair that reminds me of some Hindu rituals. Unfortunately, all lyrics are written in Portuguese so that I cannot tell too much about them but if my quite limited Portuguese vocabulary knowledge doesn't get me wrong it's more about the Devil and Death than flowers and partying.

Musically not too much has changed since the previous EP. All tracks have a long-playing time (around 9 minutes each) and the style is quite similar to Cosmophobos. The guitar-riffs are switching between some doomy, mid-paced tempo or sometimes some real fast tremolo riffing so the EP is quite varied and not too monotonous. The drums are mostly played at full speed, quite pummeling stuff and only sometimes the speed is decreased. NHSHs vocals are quite monotonous though and I guess that he should maybe vary his vocal style a little bit more.

I don't want to talk about the songs because vivisecting these three tracks would be quite difficult and also posibly boring for all of us. But what I personally really like is that there are many breaks and tempo changes and you can also find some really interesting melodies in the tracks that pepper up the music like in 'Apostasia Da Carne'. The old school vibe that comes up and combination of the sound and the production has a very appealing result altogether.

The major point of criticism would be (if one should take this as criticism when you are TRVE)that the production is very raw and muffled and the instruments often sound a little bit crooked. But if you like old school black / death metal from South America this is probably worth listening for you!

Rating 7.8 out of 10

Review by Adam M on November 14, 2018.

Into Eternity brings melody and aggression to the forefront on their new album The Sirens.  The album is a difficult one to categorize because it brings several elements to the table.  There is definitely a progressive slant to the proceedings as the songs undergo winding structures.  Fringes of Psychosis shows off some cool guitar work, but within the framework of a melodic structure, which is really cool.  Similarly, other songs vary in structure and are hard to pinpoint.  What is clear is that the band is able to mix complex structures with more melodic ones to form a varied and interesting platter.

The complex sections aren’t really so much like Dream Theater as a one of a kind style created by the band.  Also, the melodic death sections aren’t the same as At the Gates even though they are melodic.  The result is a concoction created by the band that is unique and fresh and makes its impact felt strongly.  The musical performances are all worthy of attention.  Guitars are creative, yet melodic at different junctures.  Solos are intense and thoughtful.  The drumming is nimble and matches the songs nicely.  Vocally, Amanda Kiernan in particular made an impact on me and fit nicely into the progressive space the band occupies.  I was at times reminded of Fates Warning on this album although the music is very far from similar to them. 

The uniqueness of the band is balanced with the charisma to create something that is very special indeed.  I find the music a little underwhelming and the production could be punchier, but these are just small flaws.  Overall, this is a fun and diverse offering that has a little bit of something for any metal fan.  It thus gets a strong enough recommendation.  Whether the band is melodic death metal or progressive metal is up for you to decide.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10