Antichrist Siege Machine - Purifying Blade

Stygian Black Hand

Richmond, Virginia's own Antichrist Siege Machine return to the world off the back of their 2020 'Filth of the World' EP. An EP that was as unforgiving and tense as any other released over the course of the year. Producing a project that surpasses its intensity and sheer brutality would appear to be a waste of time, unless the band in question have grown in between the time of release and of recording the next project. I think it's safe to say that the wheels have firmly remained on the siege machine. With enhanced vision and clarity of sound comes a project of immense stature - impenetrable, claustrophobic and utterly chaotic.

The Filth of the World EP rightly earned a place on my top 20 EP's of 2020. The rapacious nature of the material completely refreshed my view on what unforgiving was in a sonic sense. Purifying Blade furthers this notion and extends it into a 30 minute onslaught. The addition of spoken word intro's add a chill and also aesthetically enhance the inhumane qualities of the material. Considering these guys are a two-piece band, they make one hell of a racket - picturing 5 or 6 people hammering away at their respected instrument comes easily into view. The sheer size of the material resonates in an overbearing scope; overpowering and cavernous in the most claustrophobic of ways. Relentless musicianship leaves the listener black and blue and begging for respite. The savagery on show is nothing short of bewildering.

You wont find a more dense and sonically smothering project this year. The Stygian Black Hand label hit home yet again.

Favourite Track: Unleashed Hostility, Antichrist Siege Machine