Worm Shepherd – Ritual Hymns
Release Date: 14th January 2022
Label: Unique Leader Records
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Genre: Blackened Deathcore, Symphonic Black Metal, Slam, Tech Death.
FFO: Bonecarver, Bound In Fear, Monasteries.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
Worm Shepherd is a relatively new blackened deathcore band from Massachusetts, USA. On Friday, January 14, they release the anticipated follow-up to their 2021 debut album, In the Wake Ov Sol, which featured heavy hitters of the genre including Alex Koehler of Chelsea Grin, David Simonich of Signs of the Swarm, and Adam Mercer of A Wake in Providence. The sinister sonic assault continues in Ritual Hymns, which showcases the talents of vocalist Devin Duarte, guitarists Brandon Cooper, Ryan Ibarra, and Tre Purdue, and drummer Leo Worrell McClain. Guest vocalists featured on Ritual Hymns include the legendary Scott Ian Lewis of Carnifex and heavyweight Lucca Schmerler of Mental Cruelty.
Right off the bat, Ritual Hymns begins with this gorgeous, melancholy violin intro, followed by muted funeral march-style percussion. The orchestration builds to a startling peak, punctuated by the entrance of Duarte’s eldritch howl and McClain’s thunderous drumming. The tempo changes are unexpected and exciting, and the return to the intro motif was a nice touch. Up next is Ov Sword and Nail, which starts off with a thumping bass and drum intro, followed by a nice mid-tempo wall of guitars. The pace continues to increase with a furious intensity until it hits the cataclysmic slam and breakdown elements and starts all over again. It’s a wild ride of a track and a definite highlight of the album.
The Ravens Keep begins like a funeral dirge – the music and the clean vocals are oppressive and downright spooky, and the build-up is nerve-racking. The slower tempo and simpler song structure is reminiscent of old school death metal, and it’s just as brutal. Track four, Chalice Ov Rebirth, bursts in with demonic growls and blastbeats galore. There’s an undeniable deathcore underpinning with some spicy slam here and there, but the band is throwing out solid tech death vibes in the speedier sections. There are also some atmospheric breaks that are both eerie and lovely. Blood Kingdom is another standout of the album. It’s primarily an up-tempo track with techy guitar runs that are both intricate and lively. The vocals by Lucca Schmerler of Mental Cruelty are gloriously evil, and the drums sound like a swarm of angry bees. The slam and breakdown segments are devastating, coming in on top of the more energetic sections, and the orchestral outro is arresting in its beauty and simplicity.
Track six, Wilted Moon, is a favorite as well. It’s an expansive, dramatic piece full of action, aggression, and atmosphere. The listener is immediately bombarded, and the ferocity is relentless. The symphonic accompaniment has tons of movement, and it’s the perfect complement to the furious drumming, vigorous vocals, and animated guitar leads. Per usual, there are several tempo changes that add interest and flair. In contrast, A Bird in the Dusk begins with the soothing sounds of rain and a ponderous piano intro, followed by increasingly faster paced symphonic elements. The build-up continues until the band drops in like the wrath of hell at 0:52. The quick, melodic guitar runs contrast beautifully with the hope-crushing onslaught of the slamdown, and the shrieks of guest vocalist Scott Ian Lewis of Carnifex are frankly terrifying.
The River Ov Knives starts off crushingly heavy, and the juxtaposition of the ethereal clean singing with the inexorable undertow of the music is particularly striking. Likewise, Duarte’s vocal dynamics in this track are especially impressive in their variety. As demonstrated in previous tracks, the slam elements are nicely integrated, as is the breakdown. The album closes with Winter Sun, which showcases the band’s symphonic black metal influences with rapid-fire blastbeats, tremolo picking, and the obligatory menacing ambiance, underscored by the powerful down-tempo sections. They’ve embedded some tricky, techy runs in this track as well, and this plays off the slower sections nicely.
Overall, Worm Shepherd has continued to build on some solid deathcore foundations, shored up by their trademark symphonic black metal sound. In Ritual Hymns, the band has also incorporated the intricacy of tech death and the brutality of slam to great effect. Their second effort demonstrates Worm Shepherd’s continuous dedication to honing their craft; the songwriting is even more cohesive, the dynamics are more varied, and the orchestration is beautifully integrated. It’s a menacing, punishing onslaught that can’t fail to intrigue fans of blackened metal genres. 
(4 / 5)
