ninehertz

Savage Realm first appeared into public view in 2016 with their well-received Nocturnal Savagery tape, live shows and tours. Then they disappeared, a momentum lost in Covid times. Pandemonium of the Sun is their belated return but also their swansong – one EP, four songs, three gigs around the release date and then, sadly, that’s our lot.

It is a fitting final, guttural hurrah. This is death metal imagined by hardcore punks, a scenario that injects energy and vitality into the hoary old extreme metal sound. There are sparks of elements from different sub-genres littered through, resolutely old school in approach, but then you find proceedings turning rotten and swampy from the first track in old death-doom ways.

On more than one occasion it turns a smidgeon weird and wired too in a more Finnish DM manner. The title track displays this in particular, an unholy, sub-guttural cataclysmic combination of rolling guitars and rotten vocals, an opening of the vortex to Demilich worlds, before turning to further madness with a burst of grinding acceleration.

There is a Swedish strain too, with Baleful Harms’ Entombed beginnings, which turn to blackened punk rage through its upbeat pace and adrenaline. It closes wonderfully with Fanged Dowager bringing seemingly the first deceleration of any note, slowing to chugging death metal and lapsing into a satisfying repeating rolling riff.

It is over too soon. It feels too little. But then also, it is the best way to sign off, with a perfectly formed EP without a weak minute, a bone-rattling surge of death metal glory.