Label: Regenerate Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Length: 14:08
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Today, I'm going to talk about another memorable EP released this year: Pillars Of Creation by Italian death metal duo Encelado. The project was born in late 2023, the initiative of two long-time friends with a shared passion for death metal. What immediately drew me to this EP was its title and cover featuring the famous “Pillars of Creation” - the trunks of interstellar gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula immortalised by the Hubble telescope. As a fan of cosmology and science fiction, I couldn't pass it up. And I'm not disappointed: this EP is definitely worth the trip.
Pillars Of Creation features four tracks totalling 14 minutes and a few seconds. Musically, from the very first seconds of the opening track Dark Nebulas, the listener is thrown into a vortex of brutal death metal. The style is reminiscent of a cross between Dying Fetus and Devourment - the latter popped into my head from the very first notes, even though I hadn't listened to it for a long time. The guitars are ultra-fast, the drums hellish and constant, and the vocals oscillate between deep growls and higher-pitched screams. As you'll have gathered, this EP isn't for the faint-hearted.
Several key passages caught my attention. At 00:08 of Dark Nebulas, the vocals suddenly change tone, suggesting that the work is far from monotonous. At 2:40, I particularly appreciated the vocal power followed by a burst of unleashed drums. The drums also stand out on Gravety, particularly at 2:21, a passage that reminded me of Suffocation's glory days. On Fragments of Fear, I liked the rhythmic acceleration at 1:21, then the musical construction from 2:03 onwards, which remined me of Cannibal Corpse. On the eponymous track Pillars Of Creation, a surge of sound hits the listener, with an unexpected change of tempo at 0:22, followed by another acceleration at 0:41. This interplay of tempos, which recurs throughout the EP, is particularly striking on this track.
Pillars Of Creation is a short but intense demonstration of cosmic brutality, showcasing both the technique and the passion of the Encelado duo. A recommended EP for fans of brutal death and stellar universes.