Review by Fernando on April 29, 2024.

The raw vampyric black metal trend that emerged in the late 2010’s and hit a fever pitch during the pandemic years saw a glut of black metal that was, let’s say aggressively inspired by Les Légions Noires from France. While the concept of raw black metal as a style wasn’t new at all, as there were many projects that delved into noisy and necro production since at least the early 2000’s in an attempt to bring black metal back to the dungeons (bedrooms with a 4-track). Unfortunately this trend got very stale, very quickly, and many labels would push these projects non-stop on social media.

Which brings me to Oppressive Descent, an Oregon-based project by Grond Nefarious that predated the whole raw black metal trend, but started releasing music at a prolific rate around the same time those bedroom vampires started to drown Bandcamp with overpriced “ultra-limited” cassettes. However, Oppressive Descent is not like those projects, nor was Grond Nefarious riding the wave, in fact, his music stands alone, and in 2024, he unleashed his fifth opus Sulfuric Wrath via Inferna Profundus Records.

Oppressive Descent can be considered one of those bands that feels like a well kept secret, since not many people know about this project, but those that do speak highly of it, and with good reason, as Grond Nefarious’ style of black metal is both bleak and punishing. The music on Sulfuric Wrath in particular while raw and noisy, isn’t incompetently made nor does it use rawness as an artificial facsimile, this is how black metal should sound and feel; cold and hostile, despondent and arrogant. The guitar riffs switch back and forth between aggressive tremolo picking, and forlorn melodies, the vocals are rabid and wretched, the bass is an ominous pulse, the keyboards add a layer of subdued ambiance to emphasize the rest of the strings and the drumming sounds crushing and violent.

Overall it has all the best hallmarks of classic black metal, while also sounding wholly unique, Grond Nefarious’ influences are noticeable but he isn’t beholden to them, the keen eared will probably hear Norwegian styled desolate grimness akin to early Satyricon and Darkthrone, while also adding the same cavernous brutality one could find in bands like Archgoat and Beherit, and on top of that, Nefarious adds his own flare with an overall depressive and suffocating atmosphere that perfectly synthesizes the bestial black metal styled aggression with the cold atmospherics of second wave black metal, but more interestingly, the album also has a sense of dark melodicism that, if not for the raw sound and distortion would’ve fitted perfectly on early Mercyful Fate, which isn’t surprising since King Diamond’s influence in black metal cannot be understated, and the music also has a punk attitude that’s oftentimes missing in other projects.

So, if it wasn’t obvious this is a black metal record by a guy who knows his shit, but also has the talent to make something unique, and I really can’t sing Grond Nefarious’ praises enough, his songwriting is truly outstanding on a level that’s very scarce as of late, and this album in particular shows his most concise work yet, while the songs aren’t as long as previous records, that’s to the music’s advantage, as G.N. is able to pack this relative average length songs with as much force as possible, for example, while the album opens with an appropriately depressive instrumental track that morphs into a mid-paced wall of sound dirge, it’s followed by ‘Forbidden Lands’ which in turn starts as a lurching death march but then turns into a display of pure aggression and speed, and those 2 tracks really give you a sense of how the album unfolds, and the music’s dynamics from forceful speed to desolate atmospheres never once feel cobbled together or boring.

While G.N. is no slouch as a multi-instrumentalist, but, for this record he wasn’t alone, as the excellent drumming was done by Disdain aka Joe Arida, and he really gives the music that little extra sense of hostility required, and Nefarious’ bandmate from Malus Votum Goatlord provides additional guitars on the album’s opener and closer, and he is also a welcome addition to the record as his guest guitars enhance the sombreness of the album.

To close off I want to highlight the production for a moment because this record is a display of a gritty production done right and in a way that truly enhances the music instead of being a detriment to it. The production also comes courtesy from Grond Nefarious, handling the entire recording and mixing, as well as the mastering. And it goes without saying, the man truly understands black metal inside and out. The sound is appropriately cold and raw, but you can still make out each instrument amid the walls of noise, even the vocals which do sound as if they were poorly recorded, actually compliment the music perfectly, and the crushed distortion and reverb make G.N. sound even more unhinged and inhuman. It really goes without saying but this is indeed how a raw production should sound, as it’s authentic to the artist’s intent while also matching and enhancing the music.

Oppressive Descent has not only continued to be a consistent and admirable project, but this is their best album yet in an enviable back catalog of quality black metal that has all the elements one could want in black metal, whilst also being a unique voice in a see of copyists, and for that alone this is one of my favorite black metal records of this year.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Elijah on February 5, 2020.

This album may as well be just another slamming brutal death metal album, but it's sure as hell overlooked. The more you listen the more and more you'll grow to love this. This album is truly a masterpiece and it may take a while for some to realize that.

You're either reading this review because you like this band and you're just checking out the reviews, or you hate slam death metal and you clicked on this because you're wondering why the hell I'm giving it such a high score. If you hate slam brutal death, that most likely means you haven't heard enough, or just haven't found the right band yet, or you just straight up hate it. I understand why people hate this album even if they're a slam/bdm fan or not, I get it. The vocals are constant with no structure, the drums sound weird, the guitars are eh, the songs are lame, whatever. Yes, I fully understand that and agree that it isn't exactly "perfect"; but the reasons why people dislike this album is the same reason why I absolutely love it. I'm one of those slam/bdm fans that like their shit nasty, guttural, and heavy. And well... this album displays and embodies that perfectly.

I love how "first effort" and "un-perfect" and raw this album is, I love it a lot. I love how everything sounds. When I started getting more into this band and listened to this album I didn't really get why it got so much crap, I thought it was pretty solid and great for the genre it is. But after my first few other listens I started to understand why it's so disliked. That was a few weeks ago but this past weekend I've been jamming this band a lot. I listened to this album about 5 times in just 3 days, it got stuck in my head and I just couldn't seem to get enough. In just three fast days this has become one of my favorites in slam brutal death metal, and no; I don't think I'll ever stop feeling the way I do about it right now.

I know it’s ironic how I'm talking about this album isn't exactly perfect but I'm also saying it is at the same time. People who know this album definitely understand what I'm talking about. Anyways, I really do love how everything on this album is. The drums (I think) are triggered, the bass drum doesn't sound pure at all, which is a slight bother but at the same time it isn't at all, I don't know exactly how to explain this. The kick drum has a sticky note type sound; for example, imagine you have a sticky note and you're ripping the sticky area back and forth off a surface, that's how the kick drum sounds. The snare has a cool sound too, sounds a slight of electronic but it's also solid and pure? I don't know, but what I do know is that I enjoy the drums here. The drums just fit really good on this album. It'll take time for sure to get used to how it sounds, but eventually you'll love it. Some bands have these aspects on their albums but sounds like absolute shit, AP does it right.

The guitars are great. Deep, heavy, slamming, perfect. Nothing much to explain for the guitars; they're just perfect and ideal, simple as that. Flawless guitar sound for some good classic slamming death. The vocals are probably my favorite aspect of this album. Vladmir's vocals are nasty, guttural as can be, juicy, gurgling, disgusting. Absolutely perfect! This is what I love and strive to look for in my slamming brutal death metal. I like my music heavy and sick, and the vocals on here strives for just that! I couldn't be more pleased! God tier vocals. Vocal structure doesn't really matter to me on albums like this, as long as they're raw and brutal.

All the songs on this album are great. One after another all very very good. (Aside from the vocals, lol), the songs have good structure and they breathe pretty fluently. The guitars play in their own slamming pattern while the drums follow along, similar to a dance beat or a rap beat. Nothing more satisfying than symmetric instruments on a slamming death album, so good. This album has 0 bad songs, and the interlude in between is perfect, adds more greatness to the album. My favorite song off the album and favorite AP song in general is probably 'Intracranial Parasite', that song opens up with a great snare flam followed by a ton of groovy and satisfying ear-gasm slams. As well as every song being good, this album has a groovy feel too, groovy as hell slams, so damn good. As I've listened more and more to this, the more and more I couldn't get enough. I love this record. It's incredibly catchy and super super fun.

As I said in the beginning, this album is severely overlooked and over hated. I do get why it's hated, but that's why it's so good. It's disgustingly perfect in all aspects. Most people like The Anomalies of Artificial Origin better, but in all honesty I prefer this any day. Don’t get me wrong, The Anomalies of Artificial Origin is amazing and a great album, but I like my slamming death heavy and disgusting. And this album is just that. Along with Cerebral Incubation's debut "Asphyxiating on Excrement", this and that album are some of the sickest and greatest albums in the genre.

In The End of Human Existence is an amazing and ideal slamming brutal death metal album, and only some people are able to realize that. It isn’t bad at all, let it grow on you and if you really don’t like it, then oh well. All I know is that this is for sure a new favorite of mine and forever a banger. Super fun album that'll get you moving with energy and good vibes. Pure greatness.

All the songs are good, but these are the best/standout tracks:

Best Songs: 'Intracranial Parasite', 'Entrails Full of Vermin', 'Throat Fisting Abortion', 'Victims Stuffed with Nails'.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10