This year most of the metal releases I had taken interest in have lacked a certain intensity. Granted the Canadian technical death metal band Archspire was a good change up, Acheron’s Kult des Hasses delivered some great old school sounding death metal, and I unfortunately can only say I was mildly impressed with Behemoth’s The Satanist. What has come to my attention lately is Svn Eater by Lvcifyre, an album found within the darkest and most hellish abyss.

Svn Eater begins on a slower note with a long introductory nine minute track entitled Night Seas Sorcery. Slow and strong riffs take you slowly down into a light-less cavern with little chance of being able save yourself from the journey into darkness. After the lengthy start, there’s literally very little backing down from the demonic chords and chaotic and fiery drums as the album unleashes its full power. Calicem Obscurum is an ear shattering track that envelops the listener in a pure evil essence and holds no promises of being able to propel anyone out of the madness set forth.

Sun Eater keeps up with the intense and murky guitar riffs that pose as some of the most extreme I have heard this year. More soloing is heard on the second half of the album with tracks like Fyre Made Flesh in which screaming and crushing solos break into the chaos and are lastingly sweet and completely manic.

For extreme metal lovers, Svn Eater may be the unholy grail of choices this year. Its sheer intensity and punishing demonic tone will no doubt take many on a wild ride, and it’s a ride you won’t want soon to get off.