We’re warned to prepare for a 32 minute descent to a bottomless pit. Having reviewed this Belarusian band’s 2016 demo “Staražytnaje licha”, I can believe that.

Ominous gothic chimes set us on the evil path – nothing exceptional to be truthful – and then the deathly assault begins. The echoing rasps of the vocalist enhance the uncompromising dark tones. Doom intervenes and “Zhuba” fires up again with deathly thrash. There’s a strange end as a dark rhythm leads to the sound of the hordes and an ominous-sounding gentleman uttering something in, I presume, Belarusian. I remember that the band’s demo went through stages, and this is the same. The outcome is a crusty old school brutal death metal track “Piekla”. Again there are more sound effects and a lot of shouting and narration, which suggests that a story is being told, before rampant death-thrash takes “Piekla” to its termination. Progress is then leaden-heavy as “Šlihach ni Mieheda” subjects us to more crushing death metal. Predictably, the mood switches mid way though. Now we have a melancholic guitar passage. This is swept almost if it’s nonsense as the track reprises in bursting, fiery thrash style. Then there’s the next obscure instalment of the story. The short title track starts as if something grave has happened. It’s funereal in its tone but it doesn’t go on for long enough because there’s more violent thrashing to be done. The mysterious warlord intervenes as the chorus chants in the background. Ljosazabojstwa then beat us to a pulp with brutality.

I can think of a few underground Polish death metal bands with whom comparison could be made. The difference with Ljosazabojstwa is that it is their way to break up tracks and change style and tempo. This makes their work hard to get to grips with, but what is common and impressive about “Sychodžańnie” is the unwavering level of brutality and grimness.

(7/10 Andrew Doherty)

https://hellthrasherproductions.bandcamp.com/album/sychod-a-nie