Artist: Enfold Darkness
Album: Our Cursed Rapture
Genre: Black/Death Metal
Label: Sumerian

I had no preconceptions upon my first listen of Enfold Darkness’s debut album Our Cursed Rapture, aside from the fact that Sumerian Records have yet to disappoint me. Based out of Tennessee, Enfold Darkness captures the realms of black metal with elements of older and modern death metal with technical precision to create their own blend of music.

Justin Corser’s shrieking vocals can easily be compared to acts like The Black Dahlia Murder and even Dani from Cradle of Filth, but ultimately lacks originality. However, the backing vocals add depth by offering lower growls and even dark mythological and frankly haunting narrative, which can be heard in songs, “The Benefits to Your Demise,” and “Dead in the Brine.”

Musically, affiliated to modern melodic death, is what makes the album worth listening to. Both the musicianship and production are exceptionally strong. Matt Brown shines with his extensive, fast paced and intricate guitar solos but also shows his diversity in the calming interlude, “Altars of Perdition.”

Although the bulk of tracks on Our Cursed Rapture tend to fall in the same direction of mediocrity, I found “Exaltations Parts I and II,” to have more of a thrashing, technical Black Dahlia Murder-esque sound and are the only songs that really stood out to me. The introduction to “Exaltations Part I,” immediately grabs you with relentless drumming and swift thrashing riffs.

Enfold Darkness have been gaining exposure by touring rigorously and recently hit the road with label mates The Faceless, as well as Dying Fetus, Vital Remains, Beneath the Massacre, and Suffokate. This album is perfect if you’d solely want to listen to respectable riffage and energetic music but vocally, I am turned away. Considering that this is their first full length studio album I can only imagine them vastly improving.

SCORE: 6.5/10
By: Nerissa Judd

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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