The German Death Metal band DROWNED made a grand return with a heavy magnitude of ecstatic riffs. “Procul His” came early this year, and it is without a doubt one of the most anticipated Death Metal records of 2024 since their last effort, “Idola Specus,” was unearthed back in 2014. Through their sophomore album, DROWNED delivers magic in the contrast between Death Metal darkness and atmospheric Doom Metal – a gift beyond comprehension that their old and new supporters might have been longing for for a couple of years. Less than 44 minutes into the record, the trio offers purposefully the same deadly bliss as ever in a more complex and yet memorable way that instills their genuine signature. The opener is very amazing. The ‘Star Tower’ guitar department truly has unique angles that allow the double bass drumming to lead the excellent way of “bang your head against the grave” kind of definition. Its unconventional guitar layers and the floating bass lines add an otherworldly atmosphere, one that will cause the listener to repeat the song over and over again to discover the mystery of what makes this particular song so compelling. And there comes the second attack, entitled ‘Phantom Stairs’. Once the listener recovers from the greatness of the first song, they are welcomed with another distinct madness. The guitar work on this upcoming song is evocative and a bit challenging in all the proper ways. However, the enormous amount of dissonant melody in the middle of the track makes the transition through complex rhythm compositions remain intact. The album continues with their third coming, which is also one of their singles, ‘Corpse God’. There are many unexpected details over here, whether when the band does their doom breaks or crawls faster at a death-thrashing pace. That solid vocal growling makes them balanced. It also sort of helps to navigate the listeners drowning in their abyssal dimensions, particularly when the vocal roars evilness with some unforgettable hooks. Sometimes it seems very useful to give a certain word of choice to be highlighted in order to not only adjust tremendous energy, but also to attach a strong character to the song. A clever intro strikes again on ‘Malachite Mirror’. Upon stepping in halfway through the album, the walls of their riffs keep slamming at your doors. There is no way that DROWNED will leave your heart and soul empty. The shades of guitar work are still impactful in this fourth song, with a shimmering light of twisted groove. Those masterclass riffs provide an equal amount of comfort with their skull-crushing drum fills – the blastbeats retain a substantial sensation in Death Doom Metal nature. ‘Man In Devil In Man’ marches on with total intensity. What makes this band incomparable in its field is that they never repeat their past in terms of composing their musical endeavor. It’s like wandering through an endless journey of riff-feast. This song is a small piece of evidence of their unmatched musical ability. As it progresses, the listeners seem to be ravished to the unknown. There are too many triumphant transitions to mention in their gargantuan riffs. Certain rhythm sections are probably a bit hard to remember, but if the listeners pay more attention to the depth of the aura of each song without diminishing the role of its instrument, including this fifth track, this might end with the big statement that the band knows how to lead the listeners into a labyrinth of essential lunacy. When the next song, ‘Blue Moth Vault’, reveals. It’s the slower they approach, the deadlier the listeners get. This track is a bit more exceptional than their previous efforts on this album. That repeated construction towards the end of the song is flowing as an interesting surprise. Considering the last five songs are enhanced with rich atmospheric riffs and passages that sort of keep the harmony of their storms in great justice, something that is very unusual and yet delightful in the Death Metal soundscape. The same take is shown in ‘Seed Of Bones’. The tempo passages are still fluid, starting with a short and mournful harmonic doom bound together with thunderous drums, and those seamless transitions create such impressive dynamics. The sense of sonic adventurism showcased by DROWNED is surreal. The apex of “Procul His” is presented in the finale called ‘Chryseos Vas’. Within the stellar range of averaging over seven minutes, DROWNED reaches the perfect climax of a perfectly savagery, discordant melody incorporating an ethereal groove. All of which the atmospheric elements, which aforementioned, add to the immersion of what the listeners have to deal with in Death and Doom Metal madness. It is truly worth ten years of waiting. DROWNED is still crowning the jewel of German Death Metal. They have now returned to elevate their game. That ominous aura to which the listener has been listening since the first demo remains there, growing darker even. That production value and guitar work also remain aligned and only get better with each listen. This band is indeed aging well. www.facebook.com/drowned.death.metal, www.facebook.com/sepulchralvoicerecords