Review: De Profundis ‘The Corruption Of Virtue’
Metal has broken off into many sub-genres, in fact, in 2019 Liveabout Dotcom did an article in which they claim that there are 100s of sub-genres. Of those, my two favorites seem to be death metal and thrash metal, which brings me to the point of today’s discussion, a twenty-year-old death metal machine by the name of De Profundis, whose new record, The Corruption Of Virtue, will be out this October.
As I made my way through the album, I was struck by just how talented these musicians are. There’s a technical death metal vibe to a lot of what they do, yet they are able to keep the songs rooted in death metal. For example, just listen to what bassist Steve Woodcock is playing, and I promise that you’ll be amazed with his command of the instrument; his fingers fly across the fretboard, laying down some of the best bass playing in metal. His bandmates are equally as talented, and the songs that they write are heavier than most.
This album contains so many incredible tracks that it was near impossible to pick any standouts, but I came up with some despite the difficulty in doing so.
Album opener, Ritual Cannibalism, is three and a half minutes of powerhouse riffs; that power is even present when the parts become more complex, which is mind-blowing anytime I hear anyone accomplish it correctly. This one never takes its foot off of your throat, demanding your full attention as it pummels you with death metal supremacy; a pummeling that you will not be unhappy with.
Up next we have Relentless March, and if there’s one thing that I love to hear in heavy music, it’s a fretless bass guitar, and the long, smooth slides heard during the intro are indicative of that type of bass. In said intro there is an ominous tone and slower tempo, yet as we move toward the verses, it begins to pick up speed while taking a heavier direction. Woodcock‘s bass playing is a thing of utter beauty, slick and full of movement without ever overpowering the song, instead, it adds a layer that compliments what the other musicians are playing.
The Corruption Of Virtue is already my pick for best death metal album of 2022…
On top of all of this greatness are the vocals of Craig Land, which remind me of Corpsegrinder mixed with ex-Morbid Angel vocalist David Vincent. Land‘s delivery is perfectly in tune with his band’s music, which isn’t always the case with other groups, making me love this band all the more.
Embrace Dystopia employs the perfect mix of technical and old school death metal. This one also has the best bass parts on the record, particularly in the beginning, which is full of progressive tendencies. The track quickly shifts into death metal, creating a dynamic that only serves to up the ante in terms of sheer, devastating power. I hear a more Morbid Angel influence as well, a fact that makes the song even better.
As for the guitar playing, Shoi Sen and Paul Nazarkardeh are monster players, and their guitar riffs/solos are equal parts brutality and technical insanity. It’s no small feat to write, or even play this type of music, but these two make it sound like the easiest thing ever, despite the years of hard work that it takes to acquire this amount of skill.
Along with the aforementioned, other incredible tracks include Sectarian Warfare, Desecrating Innocence, and Scapegoat.
The Corruption Of Virtue is already my pick for best death metal album of 2022. All of the nine tracks offer up technical proficiency, riffs that will scare your grandpa away from your house for all of eternity, a thunderous rhythm section, and growling vocals that will shake you to your very soul. Enjoy!
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Tom Hanno
