1	Through the Crystal Portal
2	We Only Saw the Shadows of Life
3	Ancient Visitors
4	The Spinning Tomb
5	Obsidian Eyes
6	The Powers of Suffering that Be
7	Apocalyptic Serenity
8	Let us Descend

Sarcasm

Stellar Stream Obscured

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Genre: Death Metal.
Released: 28/01/2022
Via Hammerheart Records

Album Review: Sarcasm – Stellar Stream Obscured

Swedish death metallers Sarcasm is back with a new concept album titled ‘Stellar Stream Obscured’. The release promises to be filled with a lot of old school death metal as well as a few twists that may come as a surprise to fans as the band experiment with their usual sound to create more of a journey like feel to the record. Here is my review of Sarcasm’s ‘Stellar Stream Obscured’

Kicking things off is ‘Through The Crystal Portal’ and it’s clear from the off that Sarcasm aren’t messing about. Thunderous blast beats to accompany ghoulish gutturals match the aesthetic of the album perfectly while the guitars chord progressions add a level of adventure to the beast of a song. Up next is ‘We Only Saw The Shadows Of Life’, A relentlessly heavy track that takes no prisoners. Blistering riffs really help to make this track stand out which is only elevated by the use of transitions throughout the song. If I had to choose just one song to check out from this record it would be this one!

Turning a bit more methodical with their delivery now, ‘Ancient Visitors’ show’s the band’s ability to change things up and still crush it. The intro gives off demonic Dracula vibes and when the song kicks into full gear, you will be hard-pressed to not be moving your head to its luring beat. I think it’s a rule of thumb at this point that if a heavy song start’s with an air raid siren then you are in for a treat and ‘The Spinning Tomb’ is no exception. Sinister lyrics accompany an instrumental befitting of hell itself. The sheer speed of some of the drumming phrases on this track is mesmerizing and I could only imagine the pits that will transpire due to this one.

‘Obsidian Eyes’ starts quite unexpectedly. A delicate melody is played by a string section and piano before being abruptly ambushed by Tremillo picking and non-stop double bass work. This song as a whole feels quite compelling as it leans more into a melodic feel rather than a non-stop death metal approach however I think it’s a welcome change. The guitar solo is simply breathtaking and is definitely worth your time. As for ‘The Powers Of Suffering That Be’, this track almost blends all the styles that have come before it together in quite a satisfying way. Melodic moments blended with breakneck percussion and tremolo filled chord progression. There is something for everyone on this track alone.

As the album draws to a close, ‘Apocalyptic Serenity’ reintroduces the piano melody intro before it is continued by the guitar. Sarcasm knows how to pull of contrasting styles which is something others have struggled with within this genre. As the song progresses, you get more of the melodic death metal sound and I really think this is where the band shine. Finishing off the album is ‘Let Us Descend’, Another unusual opening of strings and pianos however this is a much longer passage. A spoken verse is bestowed upon the listener before a choir esc ensemble comes in. All of a sudden, Death Metal is knocking down the door and stealing everything in sight. For me, it’s a bit of an oddity however I have a feeling this will grow on me over time.

What else is there left to say about this release other than the fact that it is exceptional! Sarcasm has had quite the storied past however I would argue that this release has some of the bands best work on it. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy of this release if you can.