SIDIOUS - Revealed In Profane Splendour

From the city of London comes a black plague of immense strength and power, creeping across the United Kingdom and into Europe and across the ocean to North America to destroy what we currently think we know about blackened death metal. Taking elements of Poland’s Behemoth and Hate and mixing them with Norway’s Emperor and Dimmu Borgir, then adding in parts from their own countrymen in Blooddawn and Eastern Front, Sidious are indeed a force that I honestly think will make a massive impact in the metal world with this, their debut full length album. Since their 2013 EP, their guitarist Isfeth took over vocal duties while still swinging his axe, and his voice is incredible. Intensely deep and gruff, he is able to sing and be understood, which I’ve said before and will undoubtedly say again, is a trait in vocalists I look for. His clean vocals in “Annihilation of Abhorrent Credence” and “Obscenity ov Old” remind me of ICS Vortex, and they are suited perfectly for the songs. Krhudd of Colosus has taken over the drum throne from their previous drummer Fahim Ahmed, and he is an excellent player. From a more mid-paced blackened to brutal blasts from hell, he can do it all. The bass is handled by Baalrath, and I’ll be honest when I say I wish he was a little bit more in the mix. But hey, I love bass guitar. At the same time, however, I don’t think it would suit the album if the bass was higher in the mix, as it would have to fight with the lead guitars from Intomitus and the keys, from whoever plays them, and both the leads and keys are well done. Both can be overdone with black metal, and neither are suffering from being overdone or over ego here in Sidious. Altogether, Sidious have created a fucking monster of an album, an immense slab of beautiful brutality that hits hard but sadly ends too soon for my tastes. If I could change anything about this album, it would be the amount of songs on it; I would add at least two more and maybe even a cover, and maybe more clean singing from Isfeth. Otherwise, the quality of songwriting, the quality of performance, the quality of the final execution, all are top shelf. Add in the fact that the art of the album is fucking amazing, and you’ve got yourself a damn near perfect album. Honestly, if you’re even the smallest fan of Behemoth from Demigod to The Satanist, or a fan of Dimmu Borgir from Puritannical Euphoric Misanthropia to In Sorte Diablo, just buy this. You don’t even have to think about it, it is a perfect fit for your tastes Record Label: Kaotoxin Style: Black Metal