Review OPHIDIAN I ‘Desolte’

Iceland, a rather small country and a smaller island, but big when it comes to rock and metal. I guess that the amount of rock and metal bands in relation to the entire population is a rather high number. This time it is death metal outfit that share a new album with the world. Ophidian I is the name of the band that began 2010 in Iceland’s capitol Reykjavik. The guys released with ‘Solvet Seacium’ a debut in 2012 and what looked like a solid start was followed by some radio silence.

Nine years later the sophomore release is ready to hit the shelves of the record stores. ‘Desolate’ is the title and ten massive tech death metal tracks is what you can expect. With the support of a new label, Season Of Mist, Ophidian I has a possibility to reach a wider group of metalheads with songs that are complex, layered and brutal.

‘Desolate’ isn’t an album that can run in the background. There is too much happening in each of the ten songs, layers and twists that need attention. Deep growls, a racing speed and meat-cleaver riffs is what drives the album, all performed with technical skills and musical savvy. There are moments though when the band seems to be ahead of themselves. ‘Storm Aglow’ is such a track that has furious parts, combined with melodic leads, and still there is the feeling of a ride on the razors edge. There are moments when you think that it get out of control and just at this point a turn brings things back on track.

Metalheads that like to be challenged and prefer a layered death metal trip over a brute simplicity find a lot of good things on ‘Desolate’.