Album Review: Sonus Mortis – Past Lives (Self Released)

Carl Fisher 2 min read

Sonus Mortis is an Irish symphonic death/doom metal band entirely comprised on Kevin Byrne (multi-instrumentalist – previously bassist of melodic death metal Valediction). Since Sonus Mortis’ inception in 2013, Keven has released 5 albums, with the latest, ‘Past Lives’ released on August 25th, 2021.

 

 

Hell yeah! Past Lives is a kickass blast of frantic and frenzied metal that anyone with working ears will find themselves enjoying. Whether it is the urgent instrumentation and melodic flair or the demanding and punchy growling vocals. Across 8 tracks, Sonus Mortis delivers and once again, we ask ourselves just how much talent can one man hold!?

A hysterical blast from the start with A Chuisle Mo Chroí, the chorus of this track is fire. Everfall then follows that up with darker, meaner and heavier sounding death but with epic embellishments. A powerhouse of noise, it really excites for what comes next. Which just so happens to be the blistering title track and the aptly title Dissident Fury. Heaviness with grandeur that feels so natural.

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You’ll find that you have to constantly remind yourself that you’re hearing the work of one individual as Byrne absolutely burns the house down with the fiery Screen Servitude. His vocals are particularly demonic sounding here.

The unadulterated furious speed of Become Static mixed with an epic chorus proves to be another banger but it’s the riffing of The Last Fragments of Earth that really gets the head banging. All before The Devouring Design wraps things up with Sonus Mortis’ continued hunger driving the metal into heads with force.

Tight, focused and with just enough variety to keep the attention where it should be; the stellar talents of this individual. Past Lives is a hard-hitting and memorable heavy effort.

Sonus Mortis – Past Lives Full Track Listing:

1. A Chuisle Mo Chroí
2. Everfall
3. Past Lives
4. Dissident Fury
5. Screen Servitude
6. Become Static
7. The Last Fragments of Earth
8. The Devouring Design




Links

Bandcamp | Website | Facebook

Author

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Sonus Mortis - Past Lives (Self Released)
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