Perhaps one of the most discussed and anticipated releases for death metal in 2022, United Kingdom’s Venom Prison has been getting massive popularity throughout the underground scene and for that reason I think they deserve everything coming their way. After releasing amazing albums such as Animus and 2019’s outstanding sophomore album of Samsara, Erebos is perhaps the tightest, strongest most energetic records the band has ever done. For only a band like Venom Prison who’s been around for eight years, it amazes me how far these musicians came along and having the opportunity to see them on their first ever US tour back in 2018 from the Devastation On The Nation Tour, I was pleasantly surprised on how dynamic, compulsive and structured their soundscapes and delivery have been since their blend of death metal alongside adding hardcore signatures not only have worked so incredibly well, but their songwriting, craftsmanship and consistency is one of the biggest highlights upon listening to Erebos.
Stylistically, this is a heavily driven death metal onslaught with songs giving that hardcore rough edge tonality to the music making it captivating and commendable which I personally believe that they’re one of the best bands going on in the current era of death metal in the last decade or so with other bands such as Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, Outer Heaven and many more who make consistent albums after another really proved the community that the genre is not dead and many more are on the rise to create such quintessential records for years to come. The fact this album is also the first to be released on Century Media Records is mind blowing to me considered how much anticipation this record all came about have met my expectations sky high and as someone who’s been listening to them since their sophomore album, this album is a earth-shaking, ferocious, and countervailing as the songs feature these thrashy, grindy and almost punky styled melodies almost if I were to take a band like Power Trip or Genocide Pact with downtuned guitar riffs, grindcore style drum fills and these rebellious hardcore breakdowns really makes the album feel aggressive and oppressive.
However as I was listening to the album, the vocals performed by Larissa Stupar is one of the prime examples that female singers in extreme metal are just as good as many people think and for that reason her vocal style, delivery and energy she poured into the lyrics discussing themes from religion, politics, war and humanity as a whole she really has outdone herself into becoming such a intelligent songwriter and have outdone herself into making this her best performance to date. Even on songs such as Pain of Oizys, Technologies of Death, Castigated in Steel and Concrete and Comfort of Complicity have this filthy, raw, and unforgiving sound that is straight up chaotic and almost progressive at times which I also feel the production on this album is miles better than what I imagined to be. Erebos is well designed and the most adventurous Venom Prison album done to date.
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Review by Jake Butler
