Sometimes to move on, you have to reanimate the past, and that’s exactly what Tony Petrocelly has in mind. While most of his material emerges under the name of Construct of Lethe, the Virginia guitarist has chosen to record the shelved material that emerged when the band was known as Bethledeign while the former band is on a short break. Completing the rest of the lineup are Gus Barr [lead guitar, Lago] and the peerless Giulio Galati [drums, Hideous Divinity], and the result, “Iconography of Suffering,” is a blistering run of extreme metal.
Right from the off, the trio showcase their love of blasting eardrums The riffs are frenetic and relentless, echoing parts of Deicide, Morbid Angel and mid-era Behemoth with a whole lot of chunk, though also its fair share of melody. Petrocelly’s growling suits the blasphemous texts to a T, desecrating religion with vitriol like the finest of the genre. The solos are just the right level of technicality and speed, with perfect tone to boot.
Despite having been written over a decade ago, the material on “Iconography of Suffering“ sounds just as fresh as any other release of 2019. Fans of that sweet spot between black metal, death metal, and melodeath would do well to check it out.
Read our review here.
