APOSENTO: Conjuring The New Apocalypse

Release year: 2020
Label: Xtreem Music

Spanish Aposento are one more of the old death metal acts of the country who after a long hibernation have reactivated and released new material via Xtreem Music – there are quite a few of those on the label. Aposento released a few demos and EP’s in the 90’s before disappearing until 2012. It took them two more years before their self-titled debut album saw daylight in 2014 on Xtreem Records, the label they’ve stuck with since.

Now, there’s good reason to be full of doubt whenever an old act such as this reforms and becomes active on the recording front. Regardless of genre, the world is full of frightful examples of bands shitting all over their reputation. Luckily, Aposento aren’t one of those – although I don’t know how much reputation they had upon reforming. But the point is this: Aposento in the 2010’s aren’t an embarrasment.

There’s nothing original, innovative or particularly exceptional on Conjuring The New Apocalypse, Aposento’s third album. Everything’s been done before. The sound bears a heavy relation to classic USDM, with more than passing references to the likes of 90’s Morbid Angel (a song like Akerbeltz is quite reminiscent of something off Gateways To Annihilation), and in general there’s a strong vibe of heavy and brutal 90’s death metal here.

Originality would be nice, of course, but quality is better. And luckily, where the Spaniards have a decided deficit in the previous, the latter is in better bearings. Okay, yes, this isn’t the best thing since sliced bread, but it’s more than good enough. The songs roll fluently without hickups or bad bits, the sound is heavy but clear, the playing is tight but not sterile, the vocals are a coarse guttural rasp, and there’s a nice mix of mid-tempo crushing and faster blasting. Even if Conjuring The New Apocalypse is a bit run-of-the-mill in every aspect, it is that in a very enjoyable fashion.

In a nutshell, if you’re super picky with what you take on your death metal platter, or if you only have time for the most innovative, trailblazing and pioneering acts, then make sure to steer clear of Aposento. However, if you’ve always got a bit of time for some well-executed and good sounding, enjoyable death metal regardless of how much new it brings to the table, check Conjuring The New Apocalypse out. It’s well worth a spin or two.

3/5

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