Any time I get the chance to review a new release from Caligari Records, I’m pretty excited. It’s the label owner’s enormous feeling for real gems that makes me very curious on any new tape he unleashes upon us. So I was very keen on the first demo from Pittsburgh’s TAPHOS NOMOS. And even though my expectations were high, especially after Caligari’s killing NEGATIVE VORTEX demo release a few weeks ago, I was crushed again. The five piece formed last year and not even 12 months later, they present their first sign of life. And it’s a very impressive one for sure. Only three long songs present the whole range of Doom Death already in the opening ‘Pyroclastic Flow (Hellbent On Destruction)’ with its enormous variability, ranging from tons of heaviness to fast and brutal outbreaks, spiced with some guitar harmonies that even remind of early MASTODON in some moments. Additionally, this one comes along with diversified vocals that not only keep the tension of the song very high, but also are the icing of the cake. This one alone is worth getting “West Of Everything Lies Death”. But the following ten-minute hammer ‘Swallowed In Boiling Kaolinite’ is even better, since this song is so ultra heavy, it’s even physical. The basic rhythm of the song reminds of viscous lava, to use the lyrical ideas of TAPHOS NOMOS. And the faster part towards the end is just relentless. Huge!!! The last song ‘Mycelium-Corrupted Corpse’ is the most melodic and overall fastest of the three musical boulders, yet this one has some musical abysses as well, making the song more indigestible than most other Doom bands. In sum, “West Of Everything Lies Death” is not just one of the coolest album titles ever used, but also one of the best demos I heard in the last years. And since the tape is limited to only 150 copies and put out by someone who loves to release tapes of the highest quality, you should visit the label, either at caligarirecords.bandcamp.com or www.caligarirecords.com. And make sure to support the band at www.facebook.com/taphosnomos or taphosnomos.bandcamp.com