Review by Carl on November 7, 2021.

The long-awaited return of the man who also brought you Viral Load and Insidious Decrepancy, and I am glad that he is back. I don't know if this is to be viewed as a solo career, or if this is a project bearing his name, kinda like King Diamond (the band)? Not that it matters that much, really. His most welcome return to the limelight does not disappoint in any way in my humble opinion.

Just like Insidious Decrepancy wasn't exactly like Viral Load, so is The Sickness Singularity not exactly like those bands. The DNA of both Insidious Decrepancy and later Viral Load run through this EP in the form of the recognizable guttural vocals, the boxy drum machine and the well-executed riffing, but the songs are more varied than before. There are still the familiar elements like the blasts and the occasional slam, but there are more old school death metal elements interwoven in the music as before. The riffing reminds me of Death's "Human" and Pestilence's "Testimony Of The Ancients" at times, and the way the songs are structured give me a Carcass "Heartwork" vibe but seen through a US brutal death metal lens. Added to this are the blackened death metal parts where the spirit of Belphegor, Dargonomel and Behemoth are not too far off, like in 'Withdrawals' or 'Toil', and it must be noted that this is a very refreshing approach to the style. There is a lot of variation in tempo within the individual tracks and together with the great riffing this creates a collection of memorable songs that sound both familiar as well as surprising at times.

The guitar sound is pretty cool, and the sound mix is very well balanced, with all instrumentation clearly audible, even if a tad more bass wouldn't have hurt. There's also the return of Shawn's trusty boxy sounding drum-machine, a feat I have become used to through the years, but a more natural sound wouldn't hurt though. Apart from these little tiffs, I am chuffed that the man is back with a cool EP like this.

Does it have to be stated that this comes recommended for fans of both his previous incarnations? Not only them, but all who are into well played death metal with elements of both brutal and blackened death should give this a chance too. I'd even go one further and say that this is also worth checking out for Behemoth fans who have become disillusioned by that band's last few albums.

This is a most welcome return, glad to see and hear you again, Shawn.

Rating: 8 out of 10