BitterJalapeno Released in the summer of 2021 by 20 Buck Spin, “Deconsecrate” is the sophomore full length release from Oregon based blackened death metal band Aenigmatum. It boasts a complex sound, rooted in modern death metal with a slight glazing of black metal atmosphere coming mainly from the raw and organic production. As chaotic as the guitar riffs initially sound, they are also dripping with a healthy dose of melody and groove which becomes more apparent and rewarding with further listens. Amidst the bleak atmosphere and frenetic dissonance, there are pockets of fantastic melodic lead guitar which at points show influence from the twin guitar leads of Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden and allow the listener to let off some steam from the surrounding brutality.

The musicianship is superb across the board with the two guitarists complementing each other delightfully, switching sharply between riffing in unison/twin lead, tremolo picking and monstrously crushing riffs. The jazz influenced basslines are interestingly structured, providing additional layers of melody and a mix of crazy breakneck and slower groovy rhythms further assisted by a truly bombastic performance from the drummer. In terms of songwriting, “Deconsecrate” exhibits a great level of maturity with unconventional song structures throughout and plenty unexpected twists which keeps things consistently fresh and interesting for the full duration.

The only factor which ever so slightly drags this album down for me is that the vocals are so low in the mix that you almost forget they are there at times, but this may be due to them being enveloped in a full set of staggering performances from all musicians.

To summarise, this album is a 45-minute blackened death roller-coaster played with great conviction and a high degree of technical skill which should please most fans of modern death metal - in particular, fans of the twisted death metal of Diskord. Despite there being a lot of stiff competition in 2021, the intense musical performances and intriguing song structures of “Deconsecrate” have engaged with me on such a level that I am compelled to name it my album of the year and I can’t wait to hear what they have to offer next.