### Pseudogod: Deathwomb cathechesis

#### 11/09/12 || gk

Russia’s Pseudogod started in 2006 and after releasing a few splits, got round to their debut full length earlier this year. What we have here is a slightly blackened take on old school death metal that manages to stay away from sounding like the founders of the genre. The focus is on pounding grooves mixed with furious but occasional bursts of tremolo picked riffs and an atmosphere that just reeks of evil.

Pseudogod has crafted a pretty special album here. The songs are all heavy as fuck and have a sound that is halfway between the grime of the old school and the clarity of modern death metal but what really makes this album stand out is the level of song writing on display. Take for example, Saturnalia. The song goes through various moods and changes in tempo all in about 4 minutes; moving through old school death metal, a vaguely melodic and slightly blackened riff and a slowed down death doom part before the song closes with a brilliant atmospheric, mid paced section that reminds me of “Failures for gods” in terms of atmosphere more than the actual riffing. “The Antichrist victory” starts as a mid-paced and atmospheric stomp sounding a bit like a Canadian war metal band but the strangely atonal groove that follows is refreshing in its originality.

Guitarists Nekros and Corpus hit these strangely hypnotic riffs that pound more than groove and mix it up with harsh and often chaotic passages that sound pretty damn powerful. They’re backed up brilliantly by drummer Yogsothoth who can blast with the best of them but also lay down a groovy as fuck beat when the pace slows down. The star of the show though is vocalist I.S.K.H. who sounds completely effortless while sounding like his growls are coming from some deep cavern.

Pseudogod has managed to deliver a very impressive album with “Deathwomb catechesis”. The strength of the album lies in the fact that the band manage to mix their old school leanings with inspired and unpredictable song writing. You could say that Immolation and the atmosphere of early Morbid Angel are the prime movers behind this music but that’s only on the surface level. The band takes inspiration from a variety of sources including some early The Chasm, Canadian war metal bands like Blasphemy and the scuzzy, murky atmospherics of Antediluvian but somehow manage to write songs that transcend these influences and firmly become Pseudogod.

This is a very impressive debut album from this Russian band. At times the production gets a bit too murky for its own good and some of the complexity of the song writing is sacrificed to maintain atmosphere but overall, “Deathwomb catechesis” is pretty essential listening for death metal fans.

- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Kvlt
- Website: Pseudogod MySpace
- Band
- I.S.K.H.: vocals
- D. Nekros: guitars
- Naaz: bass
- Yogsothoth: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Vehement Decimation
- 02. Malignant Spears
- 03. Saturnalia (Night of the Return…)
- 04. Azazel
- 05. The Antichrist Victory
- 06. Necromancy of the Iron Darkness
- 07. Encarnación del mal
- 08. The Triangular Phosphorescence