Review by Alex on May 13, 2020.

Often thought of as an exotic area for metal (by me at least), though continually growing, the region's metal bands have thrived mostly in obscurity than under the brightly lit surroundings of popularity. With that obscurity, comes a quality that is often taken for granted in metal via accessibility. Pyre instead walks a tightrope between cleanly produced death metal and retro genuinety. After hearing Chained to Ossuaries, the primary takeback is that of satisfaction being a result of the band's amicable incorporation of quality, accessibility (put lightly) and sincerity into their labor.

It was only a few years back that I had the fortune of discovering some exceptional acts from the region (one of which is still active) that blew down the fortifications of underground death metal and the other (Scald, R.I.P Максим Андрианов) though no longer active, released the best epic doom metal album I have ever heard. To add to the list of cherished finds is Pyre's Chained to Ossuaries, that even while being influenced by Swedish and American death metal, has a charm that overshadows the obvious derivatives.

Following the brief intro, 'Exordium', 'Impaler the Redeemer' arrives with most of the etiquette you'd expect to hear from a death metal album borrowing from Swedish and American traditions; buzzing HM2 effects, a type of thrashing marked by Possessed and a groovy grip tightly applied to the music. The track is more a throwback to 1992-1996 which I don't think anyone would have a problem with, at least if you like good death metal. However, I think it’s 'Wreath of Crucifix' and 'Across the Shores of Emerald Fractals' that Pyre starts to really cook and fall into their zone. Though one is faster than the other, they both appear to have some connectivity, an undisturbed effusion linking them together, such that the music does not sound like just a collection of songs.

The writing improves as the album progresses with entries like 'Ornaments of Bones' and 'Chained to Ossuaries', sporting greater dynamics by merging Asphyx-esque doom metal sections with rivaling thrash metal guitar solos. It's almost as if with each track that passes, you'd have no choice but to select a new favorite, the songs are that good without incorporating too much experimentation or unorthodox features, hence 'Antae to the Nothingness' with its slight progressive/psychedelic/stoner rock demeanor toward the end.

That "charm" referenced earlier is that of Pyre's musical assembly, that'd meet its peak on the album down the order with 'Crown of Death' and aforementioned 'Antae to Nothingness' catapulting the Russian trio's compositions by enforcing less predictability when moving about mid paced, thrashing and doom metal parts. In addition, there is a noticeable trade of compliments and challenges occurring between drum and guitar on most songs that gives the album a spirit of competition.

In conclusion, you could rearrange the songs in any order, and you would get the same pleasure if not more on Chained to Ossuaries. And like many albums that'd have one side dominating the other, this feels like one long A-side as all the songs are so strong. Chained to Ossuaries is proof of Pyre's respect to the spirit of death metal.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Michael on February 6, 2025.

The world is burning, literally and with Ashen Womb Danish deathers Phrenelith present us a desperate vision of what is yet to come in the future if mankind continues the way they do right now. Kicking off with a brutal intro called "Noema" which is, according to the German-Austrian philosopher Edmund Husserl the content of the thought itself. So let your mind flow free and see some burning ground, burning people, burning houses, whatever. The future is bright.

Sounds horrifying? Yep, and so does the music. Right from the beginning is no doubt that the Danes want to destroy and cause as much damage as possible musically. Rapid drums, dramatic riffs and vitriolic vocals shred off your skin while listening to their third full-length. Here everything hurts, every guitar tune is full of malevolence and pain, every single spewed out word is full of disgust and hatred.

What is slightly different to its predecessors is that the guys sometimes throttle down the tempo a little bit to cause even more damage. Less tempo means here that their destructive efficiency multiplies. A song like "Lithopaedion" (which is a term for a deceased, petrified fetus in the womb) is mid-tempo-like but goddamn heavy as fuck though. Every riff matches, every single drum beat hits straight into the face. And the title - man what a sinister one. I don't need any "Satan take my soul blabla", this is much more evil. Sometimes they even go more to doom, like Paradise Lost did on their first album (the title track) which is a nice variety to the rest of the songs. But "Ashen Tomb" doesn't only lives from the doomy part, no, the song evolves like a macabre ancient Greek theater play. The tension gets higher and higher just to explode within the middle of it and to decline after that. Just like when everything is burnt down and only ash is raining down on the ground. Light, soft and nothing but death. These 10 minutes are really entertaining.

But most of all, the death metal Phrenelith are performing has a tempo like a raging wildfire that spreads uncontrolled through the countryside, burning everything in sight, similar to bands like Hyperdontia or Vastum. A good example for this relentlessness is "Stagnated Blood". In that song they are chopping and hacking everything away, this is as brutal as fuck. And sometimes they even go more into the 90s Napalm Death grindcore-era, just like in "Chrysopoeia", just check that staccato-like riffing in that song.

What I would like to emphasize is the fantastic guitar work combined with the drumming. Together this creates such a dense, monolithic atmosphere that it is hard to not be sucked into this album. Sometimes the Danes have created some really hypnotizing melodies (although this term in this case may be a little bit flattered). And also the production turned out to be flawless in my ears. Well-balanced and saturated this is an awesome nightmare to the ear of the listener.

"Ashen Womb" is the first (and probably a hard-to-beat) highlight in early 25 when it comes to cavernous old-school death metal and I hope that the guys will go on tour to promote that stuff live. What a great soundtrack for the downfall of the world.

Rating: 9 out of 10