Acosmic Engineering

Band: Tetragrammacide
Release: 'Typhonian Wormholes: Indecipherable Anti-Structural Formulæ' EP (2015)

No amount of metaphors and high-brow allusions to the horrors of warfare can truly do this EP justice. A release of blistering, colliding, vociferous exclamations, it seems laughable that the likes of Metallica would be used as sleep-depriving aural torture when cacophony such as this exists.

Scattering musicality to the wind, India's Tetragrammacide channel the obstreperous nature of early Nyogthaeblisz and Goatpenis in concocting their particularly harsh strain of black/death metal. Incessantly barbaric in nature, 'Typhonian Wormholes...' will challenge even the most hardened extreme metal devotees, as well as shaking up more established and influential acts, such as Revenge, in terms of utter savagery.

To many, this will present nothing but a ridiculous tumult, a lack of skill buried beneath ultra distortion and elementary, grating noise. Overall, the EP is an acquired taste, perhaps, but the songs and riffs that do seep through the endless buzz saw din and crashing of cymbals are wholly effective, oddly catchy and void of any embellishment. In this is heard a rewarding mash up of Damaar, Genocide Shrines, Conqueror, and of course, Revenge - all of which, despite the jaded nature of such comparisons, creates a sound that is arguably the very definition of 'war metal'.

For black/death/war metal territory, apparently saturated with carbon copies, bullet belt-laden posturing, dusty gas masks and recycled chord progressions, it takes a release such as this to blow away all cobwebs. Refreshingly, the deranged duo that form Tetragrammacide are taking no prisoners and are testament to the fervent nature of their country's scene. While they may utilise many of the trappings common to their musical brethren, when juxtaposed next to audio terror as callous as 'Typhonian Wormholes...', the brandished machetes and obscured identities regain some of their unnerving essence.

Though relentless and unapologetic, Tetragrammacide's brash variety of 'martial occult black metal' is also both insisting and enthralling; the EP is a surprising and penetrative release, something almost otherworldly in its tangible enmity. In short, this is total musical vehemence distilled into just over twenty minutes and a release new and old addicts alike will return to again and again.

Rating: 85%