Label: Fetzner Death Records
Genre: Black/Death Metal
Length: 44:03
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In a week's time, Polish black/death metal band Sothoris will release their third album, Domus Omnium Mortuorum. Formed in 2016, the band has already released two albums: Raj Potępiony in 2018 and Wpiekłowstąpienie in 2022. This new opus will be released on 3 October via the German label Fetzner Death Records, in digital format, but also on CD Jewel-box with a 12-page booklet, cover sticker, and on MC-Jcard2 cassette in a limited edition of 150 copies. It should be noted that this release will be in collaboration with A.D.G Records.
Domus Omnium Mortuorum is an album consisting of eight tracks with a total running time of 44 minutes and 3 seconds. Musically, it has all the right ingredients: aggression, ferocity, a dark and macabre atmosphere, all blended together in a mix of black metal and death metal that stays true to the principles of both genres. The guitars offer heavy compositions punctuated by accelerations, supported by percussive blast beats. The vocals, powerful and prominent, dominate the soundscape and do not falter throughout the album. As for the production and mixing, they remain good and accessible.
Among the highlights of my first listen, the first track, Wieczornica, stands out with its heavy and macabre atmosphere, where the vocal narration adds a truly evil aura, particularly noticeable from 4:03 onwards. Szkarłat opens with an attractive guitar performance, soon joined by ferocious vocals straight out of beastly black metal; at 1:21, the guitar reveals a short but very effective solo, and I particularly appreciated the composition, which takes on a new dimension at 3:08. As for the third track, Lawa, the longest on the album, it starts with a captivating intro that within seconds turns into a veritable avalanche of aggression: at 2:55, the rhythm becomes irresistible and makes you want to headbang, before a lull at 4:24. The tension gradually builds up again, returning with a vengeance at 5:09, while the arrangement of whispers in the background at 5:48, followed by a guitar solo at 6:01, brings this track to a particularly striking conclusion.
On Byłem Faustem, I particularly loved the vocal performance from 1:38 onwards, as well as the gloomy atmosphere that sets in at 2:01, reinforced by narration that adds even more darkness to the composition. At 3:08, the rhythm picks up, and the vocal part at 5:21 remains one of the most memorable passages on the album for me, making this track my favourite. I also enjoyed the melodies of Dzieci Diabła, especially those that emerge at 1:21, while others, at 2:42, create an atmosphere of anguish. Pro Memoria kicks off in a frenzy of sound from the very first seconds, and at 1:57, the vocals deliver one of their best performances on the album. On Dym, I liked the rhythm transition at 1:56, supported by a furtive bass line. Finally, the last track, Piętno, opens with a powerful vocal entry from the very first second, maintaining a constant intensity, before a darker atmosphere briefly sets in at 3:20.
As you listen, the album reveals a succession of contrasting moods, alternating between heavy passages and darker atmospheres, intense accelerations and moments of controlled tension. The changes in rhythm, dark melodies and varied vocal interventions create a coherent whole, with each track bringing its own nuance while maintaining a marked sonic continuity.
You can order a copy on Fetzner Death Records - Webiste or on the Bandcamp below