New year, new me, new reviews, and all that jazz. Transcending Obscurity last year had announced seven new releases for the first quarter-or-so of 2024, and with the 2024 Sampler Release, it seems like Kunal (owner of Transcending Obscurity) will be going insaneo style with the sheer quantity of releases in the queue, just as he did last year with 29 releases under the label’s belt. However, what matters with any label is not the quantity of albums released in a year, but rather the quality of albums released in a year. So, who are Saevus Finis? The member utilize what I like to call “Death Metal Monikers”—sporting names like Sangvis Aestvs. These Portuguese musicians are better known for work in other bands, such as Wells Valley, whose album Achamoth last year is a mean slab of blackened post metal. Facilis Descensus Averno is this Saevus Finis‘ debut, and the ‘for fans of’ section of the promo sheet mentions, effectively, “if you like death metal, you’ll like these guys”—noting Immolation, Incantation, Morbid Angel, Viande, and Maere as touch-stones. It’s slightly more nuanced than that.
Immediately Saevus Finis slaps you on your ass with hefty riffs that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Replicant album. Wasting little time, the band chooses to take the “let’s pummel you with riffs” mentality for most of Facilis Descensus Averno‘s run. “Thou Hast Destroyed Thyself”, an early highlight, has an incredibly catchy opening groove that hasn’t left my brain since the first spin of this beast. Another highlight found later in the album, “Those Who Aid and Abet”, focuses more on an angry swarm of guitars and blasts approach rather than gym-friendly groove. Dissonant bands who add in varied approaches to their craft usually end up making more enjoyable albums, and Facilis Descensus Averno is no exception, by using atonality as a seasoning, rather than being a completely atonal affair. However, it’s not great. “Execration” doesn’t make sense in the context of the release as a whole, given that it’s just 40 seconds of vocal roars and nothing else, and the songs themselves don’t latch onto me as I would like them to. I could see myself warming up more to the album later in the year, though. Facilis Descensus Averno is a grower— one might say to leave a little room for it—but it’s a promising start to a hopefully great year for music.
