Richard HolmesTyrannus – Mournhold (True Cult Records)
With 2022’s Unslayable, Tyrannus announced themselves as a new force in the UK underground: steeped in cosmic horror, it was a journey into Lovecraftian terror… and a real statement debut from the Scots.
Some momentum has been lost since then, with only a split single, live release and cover of Judas Priest’s Breaking The Law (a popular Tyrannus set closer) to slake fans’ thirst.
So it was with genuine relief that they hit back in March, especially as their opening salvo was blackened thrash masterpiece Reignfall. This was the work of a band hungry for a return to the fray. Vocalist/guitarist Callum John Cant spat venom. His bandmates went for the jugular.
But if you thought Reignfall was indicative of the rest of Mournfold, you’d have been wrong. Tyrannus have wrapped their tentacles around a rich sonic bounty – and their second album pulses with invention and ingenuity, backed by a muscular production from Scott McLean. And while the black metal core of the Tyrannus sound remains intact – represented especially well on Violent Inheritance and Orbus Non Suffict – the progression from Unslayable is startling. Creatively, they’re off the leash… and they have the technique to back it up. There’s serious talent in their ranks.
Flesh Eternal is a case in point. Propelled by Alistair Harley’s throbbing bass, it’s a slab of claustrophobic post punk with a metallic edge. The style suits them just as much as the ferocious, blackened death metal of Seizing Stars, or the thrashier fare kicked up on Unslayable.
Back To Grey is another highlight. It sees Tyrannus turn into some kind of avant garde speed metal band, before hitting a death rock sweet spot and then unleashing a Necrophobic-style blastwave. Some bands would struggle to make that work, but not Callum and co. It just seems so instinctive.
After four years, could Tyrannus have given us more than just seven tracks? Perhaps. But they’d have been in danger of diluting this honed, hyper-intense work of blackened art. They’ve made every moment count. And the result is one hell of a comeback.
