Welcome to a new section of the blog, where those who patreon/contribute to the site (see options below) get our most honest feedback possible. This is still a review, but it’s also aimed at telling the band what works—and what needs improvement.
Just when I said this year didn’t have enough space Metal, I get Pillars of Creation by Encelado, which is evidently harsh and unforgiving Death Metal from the depths of space. I almost let this one pass for being an EP, but the band reminded us properly about it—so here we are! Is it going to be an interesting journey to the stars, or is it going to let us die alone in the horror of nothingness? Hard to tell, but from the get-go, I’ll admit I liked the cover art. That’s usually a hopeful sign.
I was rather surprised by the start of Pillars, because it hits you in the head with some brutal blasting right away. I’ve gotten so used to drawn-out intros that I almost forgot what it was like to be plunged into the jaws of life like that. It’s almost uncomfortable—but then again, space has to be a place where comfort is nonexistent. Life isn’t meant for it. It’s unadulterated hostility. That’s clear in Pillars—the album has a chaotic and murky atmosphere that reminds me of Mithras (I miss it so much!) or even old-school Morbid Angel. Yet there’s an element of melody here too, not just sheer force.
A lot of this claustrophobic atmosphere is carried by the absolute weirdness the vocals bring. It sounds as if they were recorded in a different room, with the poor vocalist having a plastic bag over his head (I hope the man is fine!). Then there are the drums, which are your usual violence cake, but in this case, they have a rather non-human precision. In many cases, that would bother me, but given how unpolished Pillars is meant to be, it adds to the whole uncanny vibe.
Smiling is expensive!
Now, the things I believe the project could do better when a full album eventually comes out: the muffled vocals are definitely a distinct feature—no doubt about it—but they’ll certainly alienate many listeners. For one, it’s difficult to tell if there are any lyrics at all (not that I care!), but some people do care about those. Then there’s the fact that, although I enjoyed the songwriting style, I’m left thinking Encelado could easily take a more Prog-oriented approach in future releases and knock it out of the park. I know that’s a risk, because the music could become a borefest, but it’s just a matter of confidence at this point.
Encelado wasn’t what I expected. In a way, it brought certain fresh and frightening textures that stood out amid today’s overly polished Death Metal scene. I appreciate the rawness, So, despite its production decisions, I ended up charmed up for this sound. And that doesn’t happen everyday! Now I feel like binging the first two Alien films.
Label: Regenerate Records
Release date: April 29, 2025
Website: https://www.instagram.com/enceladoband/
Country: Italy
Score: 3.0/5.0
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