Album review: Summoning The Lich – Under The Reviled Throne

Bringing together the schools of technical and melodic death metal, with a touch of deathcore, St Louis’ Summoning The Lich have created a winning formula that is rich with emotion and delightfully brutal on the ears. Under The Reviled Throne, their second full-length, is also an elaborate, fantastical concept album that will appeal to many who have grown weary of politically and socially informed lyrics.

While blessed with pristine production, there is a bracing rawness to the record that is evident from the moment opener Return To The Soil judders to life and sets the scene for the violence that follows. Dank and ugly, while easily digestible, the likes of The Forest Feasts and the coiled Potion Seller do maximum damage, having a toe in Scandinavian-style extremity, and serving as the perfect vessel for their warped lyrical narrative.

Though used sparingly, strings add a further dimension to proceedings. This is most evident on the brief, mourning instrumental Bastell Dirge and the haunting outro of Arrias Groans, one of the highlights of the record. Vocalist David Bruno is also a boon, his acid-ravaged shriek and sickening, guttural bellowing having real personality, and always applied in the most impactful manner.

They wrap things up with Praise To The Bog, which presents a compelling argument to listen to the whole thing again, for this is an involved and involving collection worthy of the extreme metal fan’s time. Beneath this throne is not a bad place to be.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: The Black Dahlia Murder, Lorna Shore, Job For A Cowboy

Under The Reviled Throne is released on 26 July via Prosthetic