Overall: 81/100
The German Death Metal band Apophis returns with a cold, catchy, and powerful record called ‘’Excess’’ after 16 years of silence. Offers you their pure death metal talents along mixing both technical aspects with catchy riffs and viciously played vocals. It is one of the successful one for the death metal scene of 2021.
Starts with the mighty and the powerful title track ‘’Excess’’ has a strong driving and catchy riff and vicious growly vocals. Continues and becomes a banger immediately with great guitar riffs, blast beats, and overall heaviness. Mid-tempo death metal riffs prepare the area for great melodic ones. Especially liked the chorus, using the vocal ranges brilliantly. The other half with the low tempo catchy riff parts and epic solos are greatly produced and crafted as well. You sense the brilliant musicality of the band members from the very first seconds. A great comeback from a great band.
After The melodic intro of ‘’End of the Path’’ the song brings the headbangs almost from the World that Amon Amarth rules, Asgard. Similar riffing style, crafted magnificently with the vicious vocals provides epic feelings and cold emotions. Continues with preserving its mid-tempo death metal riffs, it's a solid follow-up after a fast intro track.
With the ‘’Every Single Stab’’ things getting a little bit repetitive but after the half band’s creativity talks once more again with some experimental moments. Has a vicious long-lasted solo section for the lovers too. A well-rounded one with some tempo changes and technical works.
‘’Dust In The Sand’’ starts calming acoustics, continues to one to need to listen for the death metal scene this year. Headbanging, driving riffs and some great melodic guitar riffs blasting the ears. ‘’The Show Is Over’’ stands out with the amazing death metal riffs after the melodic intro. It is mixed well once again from the pace aspect. Feels a little bit long but the main riff stands out exceptionally.
Overall, it's a solid and successful return for the Apophis. Mixing the roots of riffing style of the mighty Bolt Thrower with the modern aspects of the death metal with the hands of the great musicians. One of the need to look at album for his year’s death metal scene.