Infernal Presence – Fiery Paths

Infernal Presence hails from Weimar, Germany. The band was founded in 2023 and only two years after its inception, the unholy duo (featuring members known only by their initials: M.N. on vocals & guitars and D. on drums) comes up with their first EP entitled Fiery Paths. This debut album is consisting of following six songs.

Tracklist:

1. Into the Obscure

2. Eternal Exodus

3. Tomb Procession

4. Beyond the Blackness

5. Souls of Unlight

6. Infernal Presence

Fiery Paths opens with an instrumental intro, “Into The Obscure”, being a very convincing way to open the album with its focus on dark, sinister and occult ritualistic vibe. It sets a dark, building atmosphere that is to be heard throughout the album. Then follows two stand-out moments for me; “Eternal Exodus” being a driving track showcasing powerful riffs and vocal punctuation, and another highlight, a track named “Tomb Procession”, mainly due to its slithering groove, ritualistic weight and unnerving quality when it comes to the songwriting. Now, a couple of EPs slower and mid-paced tracks, “Beyond the Blackness” and “Souls of Unlight” can lack a bit of tension, but still providing an immersive and sinister listening experience. The EP finishes with the track “Infernal Presence”, mainly a mid-tempo track with a sluggish rhythm driven by the devastating guitars and enhanced by some high growls. “Infernal Presence” offers a fitting finale for the record!

As aforementioned most of the six songs are mid-tempo, often emphasizing on slow pace yet with heavy and impactful riffs and many grooves rather than pure speed. Vocals feature some deep, cavernous and echoey ones, although sometimes also semi-grunted or with clean passages. Melodies are mostly grim and with some traces of melancholy.

Production is raw and dark, while emphasizing the album’s ferociousness, with this ritualistic and effective atmosphere, that suits the music well. For fans of early Samael, classic Mayhem, Dissection, Craft, Deathspell Omega, Morgoth, Watain, Negative Plane, and all others who worship the raw and authentic sound of the 90s black & death metal.

Learn more on this particular six-tracker debut EP on bandcamp, or go directly to order the album from the label here.