Review by Wiley on September 7, 2015.

Ahhh, this band has sold themselves short on their own PR. This is not to say they might not appeal to the black metal, post black metal, atmospheric shoe gazing folks, but that I really don’t feel it stops there. Sure the atmospheres are clearly indicative of where they come from - you have standards like Glorior Belli, Alcest, older Katatonia, and the like, maybe even a little cleaner Neurosis at times. Of course there is something to be said of blast beats over mid paced riffs often going tribal as well, which breaks up the monotony of plowing through the same riffs with slight variation with reckless Melvins-esque abandon (yeah, that’s how I explain that jazz-nuanced break your drummer threw in here and there dammit - cuz WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT COME FROM?? Good on ya brother!!!). Of course the requisite tortured vocals are present and do their job very well, but they aren’t obsessing over any new territory - and that’s okay, the music is holding down that fort really well, somebody has to do the bludgeoning.

They chose a dandy of an opener, because that second track is quite a bit harder to digest. Same nasty guitars but really ludicrous use of dissonance, almost lulling. I am not sure necessarily where this was coming from as quite shortly afterwards we are brought into a nice Sabbath-esque dirge replete with solo and I’m back to thinking about Glorior Belli’s more southern twisted moments. A bit of a strange vocal removal there too with a spoken word bit that tore me out of the zone - think Ihsahn over Spirit Caravan and you’ll kinda get it. Not sure what to think, but thankfully the music keeps the dirge moving and I have very little time to reflect on that one segment. All this tied together with a final instrumental, I think you get where this sits.

Overall what you have is a batch of material that struggles to maintain cohesiveness songwriting wise, but wins out. In other words, this was either a fantastic accident, or the brilliance they are displaying is taking us down an interesting road and they’ve got more coming our way. That being said, if atmospheres and plod are not your favorite dish, you best find another restaurant.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Wiley on September 7, 2015.

Ahhh, this band has sold themselves short on their own PR. This is not to say they might not appeal to the black metal, post black metal, atmospheric shoe gazing folks, but that I really don’t feel it stops there. Sure the atmospheres are clearly indicative of where they come from - you have standards like Glorior Belli, Alcest, older Katatonia, and the like, maybe even a little cleaner Neurosis at times. Of course there is something to be said of blast beats over mid paced riffs often going tribal as well, which breaks up the monotony of plowing through the same riffs with slight variation with reckless Melvins-esque abandon (yeah, that’s how I explain that jazz-nuanced break your drummer threw in here and there dammit - cuz WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT COME FROM?? Good on ya brother!!!). Of course the requisite tortured vocals are present and do their job very well, but they aren’t obsessing over any new territory - and that’s okay, the music is holding down that fort really well, somebody has to do the bludgeoning.

They chose a dandy of an opener, because that second track is quite a bit harder to digest. Same nasty guitars but really ludicrous use of dissonance, almost lulling. I am not sure necessarily where this was coming from as quite shortly afterwards we are brought into a nice Sabbath-esque dirge replete with solo and I’m back to thinking about Glorior Belli’s more southern twisted moments. A bit of a strange vocal removal there too with a spoken word bit that tore me out of the zone - think Ihsahn over Spirit Caravan and you’ll kinda get it. Not sure what to think, but thankfully the music keeps the dirge moving and I have very little time to reflect on that one segment. All this tied together with a final instrumental, I think you get where this sits.

Overall what you have is a batch of material that struggles to maintain cohesiveness songwriting wise, but wins out. In other words, this was either a fantastic accident, or the brilliance they are displaying is taking us down an interesting road and they’ve got more coming our way. That being said, if atmospheres and plod are not your favorite dish, you best find another restaurant.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Wiley on September 7, 2015.

Ahhh, this band has sold themselves short on their own PR. This is not to say they might not appeal to the black metal, post black metal, atmospheric shoe gazing folks, but that I really don’t feel it stops there. Sure the atmospheres are clearly indicative of where they come from - you have standards like Glorior Belli, Alcest, older Katatonia, and the like, maybe even a little cleaner Neurosis at times. Of course there is something to be said of blast beats over mid paced riffs often going tribal as well, which breaks up the monotony of plowing through the same riffs with slight variation with reckless Melvins-esque abandon (yeah, that’s how I explain that jazz-nuanced break your drummer threw in here and there dammit - cuz WHERE THE FUCK DID THAT COME FROM?? Good on ya brother!!!). Of course the requisite tortured vocals are present and do their job very well, but they aren’t obsessing over any new territory - and that’s okay, the music is holding down that fort really well, somebody has to do the bludgeoning.

They chose a dandy of an opener, because that second track is quite a bit harder to digest. Same nasty guitars but really ludicrous use of dissonance, almost lulling. I am not sure necessarily where this was coming from as quite shortly afterwards we are brought into a nice Sabbath-esque dirge replete with solo and I’m back to thinking about Glorior Belli’s more southern twisted moments. A bit of a strange vocal removal there too with a spoken word bit that tore me out of the zone - think Ihsahn over Spirit Caravan and you’ll kinda get it. Not sure what to think, but thankfully the music keeps the dirge moving and I have very little time to reflect on that one segment. All this tied together with a final instrumental, I think you get where this sits.

Overall what you have is a batch of material that struggles to maintain cohesiveness songwriting wise, but wins out. In other words, this was either a fantastic accident, or the brilliance they are displaying is taking us down an interesting road and they’ve got more coming our way. That being said, if atmospheres and plod are not your favorite dish, you best find another restaurant.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Alex on July 20, 2020.

Defleshing the Serpent Infinity marks the somewhat return of 2 mighty forces within the realms of black/death metal. Much had not been heard from Heresiarch since their 2017 debut full length Death Ordinance with only sprinkles of music being manufactured and released since. Their short though highly praised presence on the 4-way split with Serpents Athirst, Genocide Shrines and Trepanation titled Scorn Coalescence gave some hope that the band would follow it up with another full album. Though not to be the case (as yet), they join one of the underground's mystical forces, Antediluvian, whom also have been very quiet since their din in sonicism λόγος to foul and desecrate the soil. The last time anything had been unearthed by Antediluvian arrived in the form of Ancient Meat Revived - A Tribute to Cold Meat Industry that saw them partake in travesties alongside Grave Upheaval and Vassafor to name a few malefactors. This latest transgression under the management of Iron Bonehead Productions sees the ignition of a partnership that could spring things beautiful all the while dreaded in the future.

Only trickling's put forth by both factions of fear, Defleshing the Serpent Infinity is a 21-minute reach but an effective one, nonetheless. Two (2) black/death metal cannons and an instrumental of sorts from Heresiarch, while Antediluvian place upon the altar 2 god-tier compositions both ambient and characteristic of the band.

Heresiarch teeters somewhere between death and war metal, their sound has been fairly consistent since their demo days leading up to Death Ordinance and continues to remain the same. 'Lupine Epoch' is signature Heresiarch, thick, aggressive riffs and drumming matched with bouldering vocals pick up where they left off on Scorn Coalescence while 'Excarnation' plays with a devouring death/war metal attitude that crosses over into black metal towards the end of the track. Just another day in the tank on the battlefield for Heresiarch, expect an assault of battery, string and vox just as turbulent as on Death Ordinance.

After the carpet of flesh is rolled out by Heresiarch, Antediluvian sets foot upon it with their desecrated black/death metal commotion marked by a lo-fi unorthodox drumming sequence, a clash of teethy and restrained stomachy vocals, dual chatter and strange cries. 'Slipstream of Levi' holds at heart that unconventional mix of terror-stricken/petrified sounds and technical composure only the likes of Mitochondrion and a handful have managed to adeptly replicate. Mainly black/death metal however, their music has had a fleshed-out way about it that has set them apart from the echo chamber of trend-bands. Sure, many can play, but it all comes down to how its interpreted, and the weight of its substance if any at all. That's where Antediluvian excels, rather than being just another composition, they offer an experience with the music worthy to be passed among interested circles. 'Prelude' brings to a close the brief demon-stration of Heresiarch and the venerated sect of Antediluvian, yet the feeling of something-else lurking the abyss in search of a portal to the here and now rests heavily upon thoughts.

Rating: 9 out of 10