RSS Feed


ENUCLEATE
Chaorealm EP

Self-released (2024)
Rating: 6.5/10

The bowels of Scotland have erupted again and this time it’s Enucleate which have been excreted. Fronted by Ali Lauder (Of Spire & Throne / Ageless Summoning / Crown Of Anguish / Void Of Light), Glasgow-based Enucleate are probably one of the lesser known acts within the Scottish scene but I’m sure all that will change once this debut EP spreads like a flesh-rotting disease. Ali is joined by lead axeman Nick Collins (Void Of Light), rhythm guitarist John McGonagle (Suffering Rites / Circle Of Tyrants), bassist Adam Thornton (Codespeaker) and drummer Stephen Wilkinson (Suffering Rites / Void Of Light etc).

The quintet gets straight down to business with ‘Esurine Chasmus’, which was released in demo format earlier in the year. The track sounds like a an alien mother ship starting up, a grinding, gnashing engine that literally pummels before cold, blackened melody arises from within its dense folds.

For me, the vocals are an acquired taste, fast choppy raps that slurp and slur over the rapid drums. It’s somewhat unrelenting and, rather disappointingly, such dynamics continue into the next song, ‘Incorporeal’. It’s a shame that so little variety erupts from this blustery chill. Sure, there are moments when pace is slowed and the drum taps with sinister aplomb, and the riffs sure become squalid towards the end of said song.

Of the three tracks offered it’s closer ‘Oneiros’ which delivers the most intricacy levels behind the more dominant surface rhythm. You still get struck by the icy torrents, but I sense here that such layers are just a taste of what the band can really offer.

I must admit that I did expect more from this 16 minute release, which is pretty much summed up by the cover art as a dank n’ dismal indistinguishable blur of bludgeoning. But hopefully there’s more to come from the horde.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share