Album Review: Vale of Pnath – Accursed (Willowtip Records)

Denver tech death extremists Vale of Pnath will release a new EP entitled Accursed on May 17th 2019 via Willowtip Records.

The band’s second EP following two acclaimed full-lengths (2011’s The Prodigal Empire and 2016’s II), Accursed is fueled with tech death adrenaline and shrouded in black metal’s iniquitous aura.

Setting the scene, Shadow and Agony is a short oppressive and darkened intro that signifies approaching death and doom. Expectation is that it will lead into a fiery pit of raging metal and that expectation is realised. Although The Darkest Gate has way more to it then just unstoppable heaviness. With black metal style vocals, chaotic death metal hooks, complex riffing and a touch of flair overall, we have a track that showcases brutality as well as a musical conundrum.

No time for rest either as Skin Turned Soil comes racing out of the gates, anger and hatred in its heart while the title track continues to showcase that black metal flair and finger-bleeding complex guitar work that excites so much. The chugging rhythm and eerie sounds that picks up at the end leading into the most evil sound on the record is to die for.

Audient Void then gives us a break with it’s short atmospheric intermission with what sounds like the soft breathing of a beast. As if it is asleep and Obsidian Realm is the sound of it waking.

The longest and most complex track closes Accursed out. Spectre of Bone doesn’t change up the winning formula set out already, instead just cementing the EP as a must listen for fans of technical death/black metal.

Vale of Pnath – Accursed Full Track Listing:

1. Shadow and Agony
2. The Darkest Gate
3. Skin Turned Soil
4. Accursed
5. Audient Void
6. Obsidian Realm
7. Spectre of Bone

The album can be ordered via Bandcamp here and Willowtip Records here. Find out more about Vale of Pnath via their Facebook Page.