DARK SERMON · In Tongues | CD

CD in jewelcase

Background information about ''

There are records that grab you by the throat from the very first second and simply refuse to let go — Dark Sermon's debut "In Tongues" is exactly that kind of beast. The Tampa, Florida unit came roaring out of the death metal underground in 2013 with an album that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a sermon delivered from the depths of the abyss. What makes this record so damn compelling is the way it fuses relentless, bludgeoning death metal with the kind of groove and breakdown sensibility that makes a room full of people lose their minds. This isn't just heavy for heavy's sake — there's a dark, almost ritualistic atmosphere woven through every track, a sense that you're witnessing something genuinely unhinged.

The twin-guitar assault throughout "In Tongues" is absolutely ferocious, shifting from razor-sharp tremolo picking to crushing, doom-laden riffs that feel like they could crack concrete. Vocalist Johnny Crowder delivers a performance that borders on exorcism — his range moves from guttural lows that rumble in your chest to shrieking highs that sound like pure torment. Tracks like "The Shepherd's Staff" and "Imperfect Contrition" set the tone with an almost biblical wrath, while the two-part "Forfeit" suite showcases a band unafraid to stretch into more atmospheric, sprawling territory. The rhythm section deserves special mention — the drumming is tight, punishing, and tastefully technical without ever losing that primal, cave-dwelling pulse that keeps heads banging. This is music that feels dangerous, like it could spiral out of control at any moment, and that tension is what makes it so exhilarating.

For fans of:
The Black Dahlia Murder, Job for a Cowboy, Whitechapel, Fit for an Autopsy, Thy Art Is Murder

Track listing

1. The Shepherd's Staff
2. Imperfect Contrition
3. Hounds
4. The Scales of Justice
5. Cursed
6. Forfeit I: The Crooked Quill
7. Forfeit II: Worn Thin
8. The Tree of New Life
9. Carcass
10. Testament
11. In Tongues

Manufacturer: Warner Music Group Germany Holding GmbH, Alter Wandrahm 14, 20457 Hamburg, Germany, Contact: www.nuclearblast.com