Review by Alex on July 12, 2020.

Pleasantly confused is how you'd feel once hearing this schizophrenic release of black/death metal. You won't know what hit you once you've started playing the latest title from Khthoniik Cerviiks, Æequiizoiikum. Frighteningly unorthodox yet enjoyable, the sum of the album leaves the listener within a domain of hysteria and delirium. No two tracks sound the same or are saturated with the commonalities of the genre. I don't want to say this is experimental, though it would be the obvious adjective; that word only dilutes what you get on Æequiizoiikum, however, the more applicable term would be fucked-up.

Just by the song titles I was beginning to question what Khthoniik Cerviiks were about to demonstrate and the artwork does not reveal too much or give any particular clear insight into what the heck this is, hence, the blind folded route seemed fitting.

Wasting no time to make the listener feel uncomfortable, an ambient piece 'KC Exhalement 4.0 (Welcome to HAL)' enters before 'Odyssey 3000' emerges from the misty labyrinth. Now wait for the surprise following its 2nd wave black metal structure. Spontaneous segments of altering guitar chords manifest in the catchiest of ways that sound like a spiraling descent into a vacuous realm. Still in shock and awe from the sudden flash of unorthodoxy, 'Æequiizoiikum (Mothraiik Rites)' appears immediately after and uses its melodious guitar structure to paralyze and reel in the listener before once again derailing the music by jumping into black/death/war metal territory.

Not to be mistaken for some haphazard jump around jamboree, though intrusive at times, the rhythmic diversions hold a decent amount of connection to the main riffs or structure of any selected song. Like a tunnel that has many routes that all lead to the same end, you'll find that applies, as the musical departure is often short lived and is quickly rerouted to the main song structure.

Khthoniik Cerviiks manage to keep up the sharp alterations through the flow and tuneful compositions, you'd rarely feel like there's a disconnect or filler used. I think that is the main strength of the band aside from being able to conjure a poisonous atmosphere. You'd get to 'Para-Dog-Son - Demagorgon' and 'Kollektiing Koffiin Naiils (Délire des Négations Sequence 1.0)' and fail to realize you're nearly at end of the record due to how well the band offers a reward in each entry; there's always some element that occupies your interest, inturn creating a false sense of time. Khthoniik Cerviiks are true geniuses at confluxing such diverse tempos and rhythms into sensible compositions. Whether they be irate or calm the band does an exemplary job of musical amalgamation.

Æequiizoiikum is similar to a quadrilateral equation/problem handed out by your professor that seems simple at first glance but upon attempt you quickly realize the many sub-levels that have to be traversed before acquiring the correct answer.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Alex on November 26, 2018.

The second phase in summoning the beast dawns in the form of קדוש and does precisely what was necessary to keep the momentum flowing strongly through the cracks of existence. The path is still drenched in the fluids of the last blasphemy, but this new dusk brings a tribal evolution, one that aims to add depth and a darker, more nefarious layer of ceremonial hawking, drumming and riffing. 

Spectrum Mortis’ second Ep קדוש is a continuation of what was birthed for the masses to consume, one noticeable difference here (among others) is the production which has taken on a deeper sound thus impacting the ritual positively. More work has been put into the compositions which have adopted a slightly more melodic sound and there seems to be a clearer more prominent effect of the guitars on the record. The vocals are the same as on the previous but the drumming seems to have undergone some changes since Blasphemare Nomen Eius, a change that would see Spectrum Mortis’ music adapt more death metal oriented techniques with more differentiating time signatures that ride on the buzz-saw guitar leads. As much as I love the 1st album they released in 2016 because of the primitiveness it displayed, קדוש shows sprinkles of early maturity in the music with the incorporation of more flexible drumming and guitar playing. These changes are easily heard throughout the record, they appear from the beginning of the 2nd entry on the track following the intro. “II. Fiat Nox (Hymn to The Master of Death)” is the first song that brings to front the newer, more polished, multi layered style of Spectrum Mortis’ song writing and production on קדוש . This album sounds much more hateful than the previous, vocals are enunciated with more conviction and depth, the echoing reverb also feels more fitting and necessary than before and the drum work is more diverse, but it is also more meaty. The best song on קדוש would have to be "III.Et Filius Aurorae (Hymn to The Son of Dawn)"; it has everything I was hoping the band would evolve into. The death metal riffing borders black metal trance like tremolo picking occasionally that gives the album a dense, misanthropic, ominous feeling. Everything about the music this time around is stepped-up and enforced with complimenting factors to the band’s style of death metal. 

קדוש is superior to Blasphemare Nomen Eius in ever way; the value of this record seems to shoot higher with every listen. Spectrum Mortis has shown within a short period of time they are beyond capable of making death metal that adheres to the ritualistic feeling many bands have started adopting with only so much success. If a full length comes after this it will be very difficult to top what was offered on קדוש. This is the kind of performance in which you can feel the energy being expelled through each instrumental note being played, it is at times simplistic and simultaneously exhausting, yet whole-fully engaging. What will be next from Spectrum Mortis? Only the veiled altar knows. 

Exercises in Blasphemy:

• “II. Fiat Nox (Hymn to The Master of Death” 
• “III.Et Filius Aurorae (Hymn to The Son of Dawn)”

Rating: 9 out of 10