Sarcoptes – Prayers to Oblivion
Release Date: 16th February 2023
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Thrash, Atmospheric.
FFO: Emperor, Immortal, Destroyer 666, Nifelheim, Absu, Aura Noir.
Review By: Rick Farley
A band that’s been on my radar since the release of their EP, Plague Hymns in 2020, is Sarcoptes. Hailing all the way from the frozen, dark forests of California? This U.S. black metal duo, helmed by Garrett Garvey (vocals, drums) and Sean Zimmerman (guitars, bass, and keyboard), might as well be from the bitter cold. This is pure sinister, cold-blooded thrash influenced blackness built from blazing speed and menacing atmosphere. Full length album number two, Prayers to Oblivion, set to release on the always excellent Transcending Obscurity Records. An album full of possessed hellfire and nightmarish real life events taken from throughout history. Each song is interconnected from chronological order of historical tragedies. Beginning with the events of World War 1, and then track two, Spanish Flu, which claimed the lives of at least fifty million people globally. Moving eventually to the Vietnam War, Sarcoptes brings a flair for storytelling to their attacking black metal.
The tracks on Prayers to Oblivion consist of three, nearly fourteen minute long songs and two shorter tracks placed in between each one, that are in the five-minute range. The albums beastly fifty-one minutes fly by as if time means nothing. At moments this is a bursting riff fest that could make some pure thrash bands run away screaming, and at other moments this album is dark symphonic atmospheres that feel like demons are just behind the curtains. Combine both with devilishly fast black metal, and you have a brutal concoction of destructive pitch black anthems.
The album opens with the war-torn opus of The Trenches. Sounds of gunfire ring out in the background, gaining intensity before a trench whistle blows. The track explodes into a shimmering riff full of nasty trills, and intensely bashing drums. Symphonic notes in the background enrich the consuming atmosphere. The rabid vocals of Garrett sounds like a less screechy Dani Filth with hints of hardcore style rasp, at times coming across more thrash than black metal. It’s unique, but in a good way, and sounds ferociously crisp. His drumming is equally as skull grinding with varying potency that go from chest pounding to power filled blasting. This track alone is worth the price of admission. Insanely crushing guitars, ass kicking intensity and epic extreme metal. It careens towards the end with a doomy chord progression complete with ringing bells, hellish melodies, and double bass.
Track four, Tet, is a masterclass in thrash riffing. Bruising crunch filled heaviness mixed with ruthless neck breaking speed. Thematically, it covers the Tet Offensive, which were coordinated attacks that resulted in South Vietnamese and US militaries sustaining heavy losses during the Vietnam War. Sounding slightly unhinged, it has the same maniacal vibes of a band like Slayer playing a Dissection song. It’s brutal, fast, and foul. Sean’s riffs are aggressive and extremely punchy, swirling melodic notes into a maelstrom of pure violence. He adds an engulfing ambience with dark sounding synths behind the erupting chaos. It sways back and forth with ease, never relenting on the gas pedal. The absolute definition of blackened thrash metal.
Sarcoptes will easily find an audience for this type of savagery and will surely open some new eyes to this type of music. Top-notch musicianship, mixed with top-notch production, create a thrilling yet terrifying ride on a speeding blackened train of death. Prayers to Oblivion is an album that you need to check out immediately. 
(4 / 5)
