Sempiternal Dusk – Sempiternal Dusk [US, Death] (2014)

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Dark Descent Record | 9-30-14

Dark Descent Record | 9-30-14

Hey Pacific Northwest, you guys are getting really scary as of recent. Whether or not the areas surrounding Portland are growing in prominence, or I just keep hearing related side projects, Sempiternal Dusk comes on dark wings and spreads over small villages with gigantic fangs. This album sort of came out of nowhere, but since it is now looming above us, there is nothing to do but confront it head on.

Sempiternal Dusk is headed by Tim Call, who seems to operate the Portland based Parasitic Records as well as lend his talents to multiple bands. Additionally, members of the already reviewed Shroud of the Heretic show up in this record, which should already give it more than enough credentials. Sempiternal Dusk employs the recently popular style of subterranean production but adds a noticeable groove that allows their debut to sound like an exciting cave in. The four songs that construct a 40 minute descent into the bowels of the underworld is nothing short of an exciting ride into the underworld.

Sempiternal Dusk, along with Shroud of the Heretic and a dozen other Portland based death metal bands, represent an exciting possibility for a region that has been thought of as the factory for atmospheric black metal. Sempiternal Dusk is a refreshing reminder that low tuned death with hooks can sound like the cold condensation on rocks that sees little light. There is no way out so we might as well go deeper.