Temple of Scorn – Funeral Altar Epiphanies
Release Date: 24th November 2023
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Doom.
FFO: Incantation, Viande, Mortiferum, Immolation, Cruciamentum, Morbid Angel, Krypts.
Review By: Rick Farley
Emerging from the death metal rich land of Denmark, Temple of Scorn is a doomy death metal band full of seasoned vets all gathered together from the likes of Baest, Bloodgutter, Dawn of Demise, Exmortem, Invocator and several others. Shrouded in darkness and full of dissonant rot, the suffocating sounds coming from their debut full length Funeral Altar Epiphanies is a devastating yet engaging slab of primal heaviness. Clocking in at a nearly perfect forty minutes, the album emits a cavernous, distorted bludgeoning worthy of being called a colossal beast. Immersive, trampling and gnarly enough to still please the OSDM crowd, Temple of Scorn is a smart death metal band capable of standing tall in this crowded genre.
In 2021, the band released their three song, fourteen minute EP Preliminary Mass, capturing an authentic old school feel within a modern sound. Catastrophic atmosphere mixed with gloomy dissonance and crunchy riffs, the band were signed to Transcending Obscurity Records, where their brand of ethereally doomy brutality continues. Released on November 24th, 2023, Temple of Scorn delivers an overwhelming, menacing follow up to the EP with crushing results.
From the onset, Funeral Altar Epiphanies is drenched in a dense asphyxiating ethos. The album channels that chasmic feeling of darkness, churning riffs, and lurking in the abyss style atmosphere. Slow to mid paced sonic drudgery engorged by the explosion of twisting melody and buzzsaw tremolo guitars. Temple of Scorn are proficient at creating tension and moods through varying paces that are both oppressive and turbulent. At times suffocatingly fast and, at others, cumbersome and hypnotic. The speed driven songs are offset by the slightly off, harmonized riffs and emphasized chording reminiscent of Morbid Angel. The punchy grooves that seemingly come out of nowhere, wretches like a rotting corpse emerging from the ground. Both guitarists, Fleming C. Lund, and Svend E Karlsson create the horrifying ambiance through, unnerving harmonies, doom filled segments, bursts of tight crisp riffs that lead to dissonant, swirling guitar murkiness. Bassist Bjørn Jensen lurks beneath it all with a lumbering low end, full of warm tones that accent the chaotic riffs, keeping it all together tightly and that nauseating, consuming feeling intact. Moments of controlled blasting chaos come from the skilled hands and feet of drummer Jacques Hauge. His style creeps and rampages with each strike in a paced succession that goes from blistering to a slow crawl with ease. Depths of hell bellows from vocalist Simon P. Katborg are strained gutturals that fit this music like a glove. He growls out each word in sepulchral tones. You’ll feel devoured by the enveloping ambiance of it all coming together. The structure of the album as a whole feel more than just a collection of songs. Each element as important to their sound as the rest. Tracks like Burden of Decline and Begotten by the Envenomed spasm in sinister waves of speed and brutality, while Icons of Demonic Virtues is a slow burning, double bass pounding of pure wickedness that feels like you’ve been set on fire and then bludgeoned by a hammer.
Temple of Scorn never stray too far from their ungodly death metal with doomy elements formula, but it’s one hell of a potent concoction that will find itself being consumed and enjoyed quite frequently. The subtle progression towards a fully fleshed sound is present on Funeral Altar Epiphanies and shows the high level of musicianship, experience and maturity of songwriting that will take this band far. 
(4.5 / 5)
