Ov Sulfur
Endless
Century Media Records
If an entity new to deathcore, be that an alien or musical luddite, were to query what the subgenre would sound like, you could simply point them in the direction of “Endless//Godless” from Ov Sulfur’s latest ‘Endless’ and knock-off for an early lunch. Yet by saying that, it paints ‘Endless’ as somewhat generic – it really, really isn’t. While “Endless//Godless” raises the curtain to an album speculating on the pitfalls of eternal life with breakdowns and the heady mix of inhuman vocals we all love, the likes of “Wither” and closing ballad “Endless//Loveless” showcase a band comfortable to experiment with lighter elements to great effect. Clean vocals – often pilloried in these circles – work admirably, and compliment the orchestral opulence that weaves its way throughout the album’s ten tracks.
Let’s be honest, though, it’s the disgusting riffs we want, and Ov Sulfur most assuredly deliver in spades. The trio of “Dread”, “Bleak” and “A World Away” (featuring guest appearances from Josh Davies of Ingested, Johnny Ciardullo of Carcosa, and Alan Grnja of Distant) bludgeon with pure malice, with the clean guitars and choir of “Bleak” creating a wicked sense of, appropriate, melancholy. While it does not continue indefinitely as the title suggests, Ov Sulfur’s sophomore album, ‘Endless’, capably demonstrates a band with razor-sharp songwriting and a courage to expand on the deathcore blueprint. Symphonics, cleans and an ear for melody compliment the chaotic riffs and drumming: our hypothetical entity should be considered duly educated after this.
https://www.facebook.com/ovsulfur
Review by Lee Carter