Review by Chris Pratl on June 28, 2018.

Not at all what I expected, that’s for sure. I like the occasional shake-up in my listening routine.

From the very opening sounds of “Revelation,” Thorns in Existence from Norway’s Sulphur seemed to predispose itself into my good graces. A black-death outfit from Norway, the very land that brought us black metal in its second wave, these guys are not coattail riders by any stretch. The sophomore release is a blend of black metal and some pretty interesting musical twists and turns. This brand of black metal should be practiced a bit more instead of going for imaginary speed records. It’s certainly a winning hybrid. 

Heavy where needed and blackened where warranted, Sulphur creates a unique shadow throne for itself in tremendous riffing and fine drum work that throws you off when you expect the same old movement in your evil hymns. A subtle mix of thrash metal is evident throughout the album, and there seems to be a true feel for some classic sounds in here. For instance, the track “The Purifying Flame” moves along like a black-thrash effort at an even pace, but then hits the midway mark and flows off into some progressive spiel that doesn’t feel out of place at all. Just when you’re finding a little comfort in one particular sound, the band throws a not-so-obvious curve ball and stirs you from your zone and keeps you looking out for more twists along the ride. It’s a great CD to have for the fans among us that like an occasional challenge to our listening habits.

Try as I might, I could not find anything online, but in the track “Hunting Sickening Seas” the mid-vocals sound so much like an Ihsahn guest appearance it’s frightening. He has that very unique quality to his voice, so that was a highlight as well. The following track, “Luna Noctiluca,” is also a heavy, pounding groove that sets Sulphur apart from the hum-drum of the black metal scene.

With an unusual amount of outside devices and out-of-the-norm sounds accompanying Thorns in Existence, the CD can become a true favorite when it reaches a larger audience. Along with the welcomed shift in black metal gears, two new additions to the fold are present on this recording with Erik from Gorgoroth on drums and Vegard Hovland on bass. The overall production on the CD is fine, with most of the instruments mixed nicely save for the bass which is a tad low in the mix for my taste, but nothing to get in any uproar over. It’s still one of the most enjoyable black releases I’ve had the pleasure to hear, but as I said don’t expect Marduk or Profanatica here; the sound is black-prog, which could find its way into the mainstream of our underground if enough people find it cerebral enough to seek out. 

It’s a winner for the black metal fan that likes some variety and can adjust to change.

Rating: 8 out of 10 

(Originally written for http://www.metalpsalter.com)

Review by JD on October 5, 2010.

Another Norwegian Black Metal band has crossed the ocean and landed right on to my desk. So far, I have nothing but utmost respect for the metal that comes from the small fishing nation that had spawned my family. For the most part, I enjoy the malevolent music that my
forefather’s homeland has given the world. And now, may I do the honours of introducing Sulphur.

Darkened Avant Garde while having this overpowering and brutally heavy wall of sound, Sulphur attacks with a mixture of newer BM rage, older and simpler styles of BM then added into it, some Thrash components as well. You end up having a band that is very melodically textured, yet has these sinister darken growling guitars and blackened thunderous beats of infernal power grip your soul in its damned clutches.

So many of the songs are so damn good that picking a few examples of Sulphur’s music to talk about is close to impossible. Each one of the ten tracks are the embodiment of what Black Metal should be.... a guiding flickering red flame on a bleak path down to the river Styx. With vocals that are not as guttural as some of their counterparts, there is this sense of melody in the midst of the anthems from hell as well. This band stands out in the slews of BM that is out there.

Sulphur is a band that's rewarding, yet still blows your mind as well. Good metal always rises up and they are clearly head and shoulders over ninety percent of the other purveyors of Black Metal out there.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 8
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Michael on February 13, 2021.

Actually, I'm not a big fan of songs longer than 5 or 6 minutes, but this EP called Cosmophobos by Brazilians Pralaya has something going for it, even though the three songs last between 8:30 and 14:30 minutes. The opener 'Agios o Baphomet' starts with a cool intro from the movie "The Devil Rides Out" and already provides nostalgic feelings for the listener. After that the band starts with classic black metal, which is mixed with thrash elements in parts. There is mainly European black metal bands here but also the tribute to usual suspects from South America. Vocals are alternated between black metal and clear vocals, which brings additional variety to the songs. The first song impresses with many breaks and tempo changes and a short acoustic part, which always drive the piece forward and do not let boredom arise.

'Cosmophobos' is characterized in the first minutes by a basic riff that keeps recurring. It is a with-tempo song that knows how to please with hateful vocals and catchy passages. However, the instrumentation is a bit wonky in parts, but that fits well with the old-school charm. Towards the end, the song picks up speed and knows how to grab the lover of the old-school BM school.

The last track 'Anagnorisis (Descensus ad Inferos Gnosis)' is the longest track of the EP with a playing time of 14:37. It starts with a somewhat disturbing whirring soundscape, which quickly turns into a catchy riff. The anthemic vocals fit into the chaotic sound picture and the drums seem a bit chaotic, also. But quickly the spook is over and the track runs in more orderly ways again, with the drummer definitely setting a pretty brisk pace. The vocals are again in two voices, shrieks and a demonic voice, which partly overlap. The Celtic Frost ‘ugh’ is also interspersed. But also in this track the band again shows their multifaceted skills by frequently changing the tempo and alternating thrashing with many catchy parts. Only the slightly hectic screamed vocals seem a bit out of place.

The production is unfortunately a bit unclean, the sound in places is very reverberant and the drums sometimes too tinny. But I think that this is quite negligible if you like old school black metal that does not come across artificial.

I would recommend those who like orthodox European black metal paired with South American influences à la Sarcofago, Vulcano or very old Sepultura to at least risk an ear!!!!

Rating: 7.5 out of 10