Psycroptic – "Divine Council"

Council for upcoming death metal bands, if anything.

Okay, same old: Haven't followed Psycroptic's later releases, blablabla... So, anyway.

Something's happening here. I mean, it kinda has to when we're dealing with one of the most professional death metal bands of all time. Psycroptic are known for their borderline-insane counter-rhythmic creativity in a genre of many potential varieties, and they still make good on those varieties on this, their 8th full-length player.

To get it outta the way up front: The thing is, Psycroptic aren't doing a lot here that we haven't heard them do before. But the other, equally significant thing is, they are so fucking awesome at what they do. If they kept releasing albums that kinda sounded like this, nobody would have any legitimate reason to complain.

However, not unlike with the recent Krisiun album, around midway, those small surprises start showing up that make this album more than normally worthwhile.

There are so many different elements not only in each song, but in each single riff, that it's near-impossible to view this in terms of traditional riff-writing.

First coupla tracks have that unmistakable blend of extra-syncopated, yanking riffs and jazzy legato-runs that Psycroptic have long made their trademark. I've seen the usual coupla whiners whine about click tracks or whatever, but no matter how you frame it, this just plain hauls ass. There are so many different elements not only in each song, but in each single riff, that it's near-impossible to view this in terms of traditional riff-writing.

But in "Enslavement", things get trimmed down a bit. Based around a simple figure of two flageolets, its pace is comparatively slow, and its riffing comparatively sparse. And in the chorus, the cadence even gets a bit melodic, with long, spacey keys forming a surprisingly atmospheric backdrop to all the brutality.

Same concept frames "The Prophet's Council", built around an eerie acoustic steel guitar figure backed with a deep grand piano. Contrary to virtually every other track, the verse here is big and open; the vocals are like a rhythmic start/stop-riff in and by themselves, and the ragged riffing reaches almost – dare I even say it? – a funky component. Due to the sheer amount of variation, this might be the best track this time around.

"Divine Council" is rarely catchy by any means, but it's mind-blowingly professional, as should be expected

But I could say the same thing about the closing track, the near-majestic "Exitus". And  the bleak, drawn-out lead howls in "Awakening" – in time with everything else, yet still strangely lonely and yearning – is definitely a stand-out element as well.

Overall, this is still the frantic, brutal Psycroptic as we know them. But in the grand scheme, they seem to have begun to think a bit more outside that frantic, brutal box of theirs. And I like that. "Divine Council" is rarely catchy by any means, but it's mind-blowingly professional, as should be expected.

So as I give this album a 5/6 rating, it's in no way the biggest 5/6 this year. But for wicked, progressive tightness like this, and given these elements of innovation with a band that in itself is innovative, I can give no less. Looking forward to hear where this is headed in the greater scheme of their career.

Rating: 5 out of 6

Genre: Tech-death
Release date: 5/8/2022
Label: EVP Recordings
Producer: Joe Haley