This is Greek blackened death metal duo Seventh Xul. Also, this is their only recording. So there's that. They promptly disbanded soon after, feeling this was all they set out to accomplish to being with. It's like these two maniacs formed one of the most promising acts to hit the scene in some time, honed their craft to make two amazing tracks, and then promptly disappeared into the mist...snickering along the way. "This is all you get," they probably said handing over the demo, stone-faced but laughing deeply on the inside. Recorded back in 2010, it has taken until now for Iron Bonehead to give this recording its rightful time in the spotlight.

So honestly, in keeping with the "let it speak for itself" nature of this release, I'll keep this brief. The 12 minutes or so of music you get here are not distinctly unique, but they do take what they do to the absolute pinnacle. It reminds me a bit of Bolzer, even if the style leans a little more in the black metal direction. Blackened growls reign supreme over a shadowed cityscape of creepy effects-treated guitar hooks and maniacal drumming. The tremolo melodies, pinch harmonics, and simple picking patterns are all perfection in creating some delightfully heavy and engaging compositions.

It kills me knowing that we will likely never receive a follow-up to Qliphothic Rites of Death. The work is simply a torrent of promise for the future of blackened death metal...and that's without factoring in that this was made 6 years ago. But I think the story here does help the music serve its purpose even more fully. The blackened realms of metal were never conceived to reach the mainstream. It was all about the underground and cassette demos passed between a select, elite group of people. Let's just be happy that we managed to sneak into the club just this once.