TEMPLE OF SCORN - Funeral Altar Epiphanies
Transcending Obscurity Records
So what sparked my interest in this Danish band's debut release was that TEMPLE OF SCORN boasts two members of HORNED ALMIGHTY. I'm speaking of vocalist Simon P. Katborg and drummer Jacques Hauge. Now for those of you who are not in the know (and I pity you). HORNED ALMIGHTY are a cool filthy sounding black metal act from Denmark who've been around for the past twenty years. If you're interested then I suggest starting off with their 2004 debut full length Black Metal Jesus.
Now with that said the last thing I've heard from HORNED ALMIGHTY was their 2020 full length, To Fathom the Master's Grand Design. So I'm guessing after that one Simon and Jacques decided to wash the corpse paint off, hook up with some scene friends and put out some death metal. Rounding out the line-up of this Danish DM supergroup is guitarist Svend E. Karlsson of BAEST, who are a good death metal band in their own right. The next two guys are also in death metal acts. You have bassist Bjorn Jensen from BLOODGUTTER and guitarist Flemming C Lund from THE ARCANE ORDER.
As far as this album goes it's basically some heavy handed old school 90's era death metal and doom. If you need a marker then think INCANTATION and BOLT THROWER. Now if you're a fan of the bands from Transcending Obscurity Records (and frankly who isn't?) then you know what to expect. We're talking about a musical approach that conveys a horrific atmosphere. Add to that a diabolical style to the riffs which crush. A rhythm section that is all out punishing. And finally vocals which are bestial to the most.
If I were a jaded person, well yeah sometimes, I could easily say yeah I've heard it all before. And yeah I have but Funeral Altar Epiphanies is a perfect sounding album. You've got eight tracks, seven actually with an instrumental opener, which convey a sense of belonging to the punishment. Add to that they're from Denmark a nation which has had MERCIFUL FATE as their decades long flagship extreme act. And everything else which is cool has taken a back seat which to me is wrong.
I love this type of death doom and by the third time listening to this release I started to forget the past and embrace this as the now. TEMPLE OF SCORN are not an act just getting their kicks off of the past (hello BLOODBATH). They're accomplished Danish musicians from their nation's extreme metal scene who are putting their own stamp on an old recipe. Like I said this is a perfect album.
LISTEN HERE:
https://templeofscorndm.bandcamp.com/album/funeral-altar-epiphanies
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