Phasma – Purgatory Review By Kenstrosity

Sometimes an album comes around ye olde promo pit that looks and smells familiar, but plays like something else entirely. Today’s entry into the “what the heck am I actually listening to?” hall of infamy is Phasma’s Purgatory. The third record from the Greek/US duo, and the first carried by a label—our beloved Transcending Obscurity Records—Purgatory continually subverted every expectation I had. In doing so, it became one of my biggest pleasant surprises in recent memory.

While early Phasma works boasted a songwriting style and sound that evoked a grotesque Whitechapel/Vampire Squid lovechild, Purgatory is a charred and venomous affair of only a tenuous relation to that concoction, and all the better for it. Conjuring a vision where Vimur, Harms Way, and Crypts of Despair’s first two albums merged into one mangled mass, Purgatory writhes and slithers through an unholy collection of brutal riffs, immolating tremolo flares, and swaggering grooves. While Phasma’s vocal approach largely carries over from early works, pairing a guttural roar with piercing screeches, but minimizing previously prevalent items like subterranean gurgles and glass-shattering squeals, it takes on an altogether more intimidating character here. Instead of showing off the full range of technical skills and range as this unit had to prove on their self-titled debut, Phasma took Purgatory as an opportunity to be as mean and concise as possible.

Purgatory by PHASMA

Simplifying their song structures, doubling down on memorable hooks, and restricting technical expositions to a minimum helped Phasma achieve their goal, resulting in a work that feels genuinely terrifying. Opening duo “I” and early highlight “II” prove this within thirty seconds of their introduction, but also create a delightful deviation from the usual songwriting tricks I expect from one phrase to another. For example, “I” makes me think a huge breakdown is about to drop right at the start, only to blast into the shadowed iciness of black metal, then dive seamlessly into a gym-ready hardcore groove. Subverting my expectations becomes a regular occurrence in Purgatory. “II,” “III,” and “VI” all venture deeper into doom-laden dungeons than I would’ve ever anticipated from a record as evil and high-energy as this. Harmonized melodies and layered guitar pyrotechnics only enhance this effect when things transition between paces and moods in a snap (“II”). By thusly offsetting their stripped-down writing with constant fiery twists and gnarly turns, Phasma crafted a remarkably exciting and rich experience that is an absolute joy to experience over and over again.

Despite its truncated 27-minute runtime, Purgatory burgeons with invigorating ideas all meticulously arranged, but initial spins suffer at the hands of a production of unforgiving loudness. “IV” in particular challenged my ability to appreciate the fantastic lead-into-chug-triplets and Vampire Squid riffs that bulge out from densely packed bass rumbles and glassy cymbals, in no small part because everything is so in-your-face as to flatten entirely. “V” feels a similar impact, though an eerie, bass-driven atmospheric break and subsequent Atrae Bilis-esque bridge briefly alleviates that effect. Understanding that the intended purpose of Purgatory is to oppress and destroy, a little more headroom in the mix and master would’ve allowed Phasma to hit harder and better highlight the myriad clever details distributed throughout.

Thankfully, the production isn’t so ruinous as to make my experience with Purgatory anything less than a delightful treat. As I spent more time with it, I loved it more, craved it regularly, and found additional moments to take home. Memorable beyond what I anticipated, and more engaging than I dared hope, Purgatory is a resounding success in all areas other than engineering. In some circles, that one weakness won’t matter much. In the end, it didn’t matter much to me either, such is the strength of Phasma’s songwriting.1 This is one trip to limbo you won’t want to miss!



Rating: Great!
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Websites: phasmaproject.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/PhasmaProject
Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

#2026 #40 #American #AtraeBilis #BlackMetal #BrutalDeathMetal #CryptsOfDespair #DeathMetal #Deathcore #Feb26 #GreekMetal #Hardcore #HarmSWay #International #Phasma #Purgatory #Review #Reviews #TechnicalDeathMetal #TranscendingObscurityRecords #VampireSquid #Vimur #Whitechapel

CRYPTS OF DESPAIR (Lituània) presenta nou àlbum: "We Belong in the Grave" #CryptsOfDespair #DeathMetal #Abril2025 #Lituània #NouÀlbum #Metall #Metal #MúsicaMetal #MetalMusic

Crypts of Despair – We Belong in the Grave Review

By Kenstrosity

When Lithuanian death metal outfit Crypts of Despair dropped All Light Swallowed back in 2021, I was impressed with their destructive riffs, dynamic songwriting, and oppressive tone. The record boasted a never-ending assault of killer passages and memorable atmosphere that, in time, only grew in depth. Unsurprisingly, I felt great excitement at the prospect of a new Crypts of Despair when Transcending Obscurity announced third LP We Belong in the Grave late last year. By that same coin, you can imagine my utter disappointment at what arose from this crypt.

What was once easily categorized as a brutal take on the blackened death metal blueprint now lies in ashes. Today, Crypts of Despair plays a thankfully still brutal take on deathcore. So stark is the difference that at first, I was certain I had mixed up my bands when I picked this up. I was shocked to learn I had not. How this happened, I am uncertain, as only their second guitarist changed between 2021 and 2025. Nonetheless, the ripping tremolos and buttery-smooth songwriting of All Light Swallowed are a thing of the past. In its place, chugging ruts, Deathcore Standard Eerie Background Melodies (DSEBM for short), monotonous guttural roars backed by stereotypical scathing rasps, and what sounds to these ears like a total lack of songwriting identity. I could easily pick Crypts of Despair out of a lineup four years ago. Now, I doubt my ability to discern. At least the pools of skronky death and core from which they pull are decent company—I hear notes of early Nightmarer, AngelMaker, and Fit for an Autopsy peppering We Belong in the Grave. Nonetheless, the stylistic whiplash proved a monumental obstacle to my enjoyment of this new record, an obstacle that vexes me even as I write this piece.

First the positives: Crypts of Despair are still well versed in the way of The Riff™. Early standouts “Terminal Dais” and “Expulsion to Purgatory” offer massively headbangable motifs that are guaranteed to crush the strongest of bone into dust. Back-half heroes “Undisillusioned” and “Precipitous” muster a stompy groove the likes of which threaten the structural integrity of any concert floor, certain to incur considerable repair expenses to any venue. Blackened touches and intimidating background atmosphere still exist in an effort to invoke Crypts of Despair’s apocalyptic character, giving otherwise boilerplate tracks “Obliteration of the Impure” and “Seizures” much-needed flavor. Many such elements are similar on the surface to what Crypts of Despair implemented in the past, but are applied a bit differently now. That’s not a bad thing, as it showcases Crypts of Despair’s willingness to experiment with their sound and grow accustomed to unexplored sonic territory.

The unfortunate piece of that journey here is the total lack of songwriting that came along for the ride. Even decent tracks like “Seizures” struggle to impress upon the listener a sense of story, character development, or substance. Opener “We Belong in the Grave” constitutes a dire misfire, feeling every bit as fluffy and forgettable as your average throwaway instrumental intro, and yet it is a fully equipped “song.” The problem is that it lacks any sort of distinguishing characteristics or movement to earn it the moniker. The same critique can be extended to the closing duo “Gaze of the Adversary” and “Burial of the World.” Neither exhibits any evidence of a fully fleshed-out idea, instead spinning their wheels deeper and deeper into the mucky byproduct of wasted time. The production reflects this lack of depth as well, imposingly loud and deeply polished with flat, modern tones that feel at odds with Crypts of Despair’s mission statement up to this point.

One thing that remains untouched: Crypts of Despair are as livid as ever at humanity writ large. And they are right to be, for any number of reasons! That said, nothing much else remains intact after this updated set of sonic, visual, and engineering aesthetics bulldozed what was once a powerful, distinct, and compelling identity. We Belong in the Grave represents a band trying something different and making a real effort to make an unfamiliar style work in their image. It also represents a band failing to back that new sound up with the same elevated songwriting that made All Light Swallowed a triumph. For those who enjoy the chugging breakdowns and mid-paced monotony of cookie-cutter deathcore, this might be a step up from what populates that rotation. Otherwise, if you are familiar with Crypts of Despair, prepare to despair. This adjustment is going to hurt.

Rating: Disappointing
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Websites: cryptsofdespair.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/cryptsofdespair
Releases Worldwide: April 18th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AngelMaker #Apr25 #CryptsOfDespair #DeathMetal #Deathcore #FitForAnAutopsy #LithuanianMetal #Nightmarer #Review #Reviews #TranscendingObscurityRecords #WeBelongInTheGrave

Death metal misanthropes Crypts Of Despair are back with a new album, We Belong In The Grave. Review at FFR, https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/04/15/crypts-of-despair-we-belong-in-the-grave-transcending-obscurity-2025/ #metal #heavymetal #rock #hardrock #deathmetal #Lithuania #TranscendingObscurity #TranscendingObscurityRecords #CryptsOfDespair