Psycroptic – “As the Kingdom Drowns” [Album Review]

The Tasmanian devils, Psycroptic, are back with a new molten slab of technical death metal that is guaranteed to melt your face, make your ears bleed, and have you begging for more. As the Kingdom Drowns is thirty-five minutes of intense fretboard wizardry and dizzying, mind-blowing riffs alongside a thunderous rhythm section that will satisfy even the most discriminate metal fan.

“We Were the Keepers” busts furiously out of the gates with an insane riff, establishing a momentum that, aside from a few intros, does not waiver for the record’s duration. This is a brutally aggressive album and not recommended for the faint of heart, but it is so damn good. The thing I like the best about this record, and Psycroptic in general, is that – pardon the use of the word – they are not posers attempting to wow the listeners with their musicality, and this collection of songs is not an exercise in musical masturbation. This is a strong collection of super-tight, razor sharp, kick-you-in-the-teeth tunes.

“We Were the Keepers”, the lead track from As the Kingdom Drowns.

For me, the only issue with this record is the length; at just over half an hour, it is entirely too short and I wanted more, much more. But, at the end of the day, I think you will find As the Kingdom Drowns on many 2018 top-ten lists, and out of the all too brief experience, there are some truly amazing tracks. “Momentum of the Void” is probably my personal favourite, with a doomy power chord intro that stands out right away.

As the Kingdom Drowns Track Listing:

01. We Were the Keepers
02. Frozen Gaze
03. Directive
04. Deadlands
05. As the Kingdom Drowns
06. Beyond the Black
07. Upon These Stones
08. Momentum of the Void
09. You Belong Here, Below

Run Time: 35:02
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Record Label: Prosthetic Records