Asphyx
Last One on Earth

THE REVIEW

In a desolate wasteland, the silence is shattered by inhuman and desperate screams; he is the last man on earth, the last survivor of the apocalypse's devastation. The screams turn from desperate to furious and snarling, and the music fitting this scene of death can only be this album, one of the most violent and destabilizing the metal genre has ever produced.

A chilling and gigantic wall of sound created by guitars, drums, bass, and Van Drunen's agonizing and wrenching growls, it's almost impossible to describe the ferocity and the pure and primitive mass of violence unleashed by Asphyx in this their second album. The rhythms unfold through mid-tempos, slowed-down parts that swell until they explode into the classic fast but not blistering up-tempo, but for this band, speed of execution has never been one of the main elements. Creating true catacombal atmospheres and reaching new heights of power without frills in an ultra-violent and never technical way to flow into pure death metal—these were the goals (fully achieved) of Asphyx.

In all the 8 tracks of the album, there is an oppressive and suffocating air of death, with a lacerating, disturbing, and incredibly noisy guitar work that supports the entire piece with pachyderm and morbid riffs sending the listener into ecstasy, who, to delve into such a work, must already be quite well-versed in death metal. Otherwise, they risk pressing the stop button after the first suffocating notes of the opener.

Primitive, devastating, sick, deeply noisy, and truly suffocating, in this work, a nature contrary to the human being is clearly felt. In the dark land, the last remaining man screamed and cursed the leaden sky for being left alone to fight against death, which was staring closer and closer at him.