Metalcatto
When I think of Meuse Records, I think of sad puppy Death/Doom with clean production. However, Rigorous Sardonicus truly defies the stereotypes, because Diatriba Deorum is just nasty work that feels like it came out of Finland in 1993. I was surprised by the band’s obscene proposal, but that’s not all it had to offer. We need more than slow riffs to be truly impressed at this point, don’t you think?
Alright, we do get a ton of slow riffs on Diatriba Deorum – way beyond what we’re used to at MER. That said, I acknowledge that the atmosphere is totally decadent and engulfing. There’s real love for old school Finnish Metal here. It has that disgusting crust, that overwhelming saturation and density that makes you either love or hate whatever is going on. There’s little room for indifference, honestly. All the tracks are a crushing parade towards the inevitable demise that life represents. That’s it – nothing romantic to hold onto.
Aside from a constant static noise from the guitars, which saves the album from being too soft, the vocals are genuinely gross. They sound like someone’s lungs are half full of liquid, desperately gasping for air – but slowly. Things hit you over and over on Diatriba Deorum. The consistency, or well, monotony, is part of the crushing experience. You’ll need patience, because the album almost feels like Funeral Doom, but without any synths or organs, which makes the whole experience all the more rancid.
Unfortunately, I did struggle with this repetitive, slow pressure. It doesn’t change much; it doesn’t progress. It sticks to a few ideas and then bashes you in the head with them until you have a hard time feeling anything at all. So as gross and immoral as every part feels here, the overall performance is just okay – safe, consistent. But I need more energy to feel alive. As it stands, the album is like looking at the world in black and white: edgy, yes, but not playful.
So, I might not be the biggest fan of this slow and suffocating march, but maybe you are! Just be warned that you’ll need to be in the right zone. I wasn’t ready for so much static work to hit me all at once. However, if you’re deeply nostalgic for those rancid 90s years, then you should really go for this thing.
Label: Meuse Music Records
Release date: 31st July, 2026
Website: https://rigorsardonicous1.bandcamp.com/album/diatriba-deorum-2026
Country: USA
Score: 2.5/5.0
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