Album Review: Sepulchre by the Sea – Conqueror Worm (Self Released)

Started in early 2019 by a multi instrumentalist with equal passion for all things post black metal and Edgar Allen Poe, Sepulchre by the Sea has quickly grown from a single idea into a fully fledged studio project. The band incorporates many different sounds from atmospheric soundscapes and traditional black metal riffing to more eclectic areas such as shoegaze and folk based pieces.

After releasing the scathing epic “…And So It Crumbles” demo at the tail end of 2019, the band set to work honing its craft and creating something larger and more ambitious in scale. Throughout the first half of 2020, more music was being forged and assembled as new fans discovered the band. On the 6th November 2020, the band plans to unleash its epic debut “Conqueror Worm”, a 6 track record spanning nearly an hour and crossing multiple sub genres along the way.

An epic in every sense of the world, with gorgeous melody I Loved Alone begins and Sepulchre By the Sea is off and rolling. A richly detailed and warm opener that begins to get darker and dirtier as it goes on. The vocals reach into the pits of hell to find a voice and the melodies start to become more chaotic. Yet it retains a certain sense of wonder.

It’s a no nonsense black metal infused heavyweight offering next with the title track. Something with a bit more of a traditional sound about it, albeit with well defined riffs. Before the gigantic effort of And So It Crumbles turns everything on its head. Although not at first, as Sepulchre by the Sea begin with an icy cold eruption of bleakness. It’s when some technical and jerky guitar parts kick in that the ears really perk up.

Just after the 5 minute mark, a quiet drop accompanied by ringing guitar parts and disconnected vocals brings us into exciting shoegaze territory. Something that develops into one of this years finest segments of music. Emotional and captivating music, it’s something that you’ll not want to end.

How do you follow that? Well, Slices of Death begins by keeping things mellow and sad with a simple melody driven by a strumming guitar. There is a tempo increase with the arrival of drums and echoing vocals but it stays heavily focused on a lighter and airy sound.

It’s back to the ferocity with the penultimate track, Behind the Walls. The crashing and banging at first is far wilder and less controlled than we’ve seen so far. Sepulchre by the Sea transforming from this chaos to heavy rhythm and back again with ease. Then abruptly, it all disappears for a final 2 minutes of chilling melodies which build back up to a powerhouse of heaviness.

Conqueror Worm reaches its conclusion with the most epic of tracks to end on. A 17+ minute finale that has everything we’ve come to except from this band rolled into one. Dangerously dark melodies, cold lows and warming highs, meaningful melody and destructive heaviness. It’s all here and all levels of stunning.

It’s an unforgettable album.

Sepulchre by the Sea – Conqueror Worm Full Track Listing:

1. I Loved Alone
2. Conqueror Worm
3. And So It Crumbles
4. Slices of Death
5. Behind the Walls
6. Plutonian Shores

Links

Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook