Pyriphlegethon is a black metal project from Maurice de Jong, better known as him from Gnaw Their Tongues. This might lead you to expect some abstract and blackened noise, but what we actually have is something more conventional and easily-digestible. It’s very low-fi, but not in the oppressive way we might imagine. In fact, sometimes it is not quite oppressive enough for my liking.

What we have here is highly ramshackle, surprisingly tuneful black metal shrouded in fuzz. The best tracks, like Black Depths Beyond the Gate, or Rising of the Satanic Majesty have this sweaty and scruffy thrash feel, with their fast, highly melodically-inclined riffing. The guitars buzz and hiss in true one-man black metal style, and there is a great rough energy to them. There are also some quite atmospheric and effective slower numbers, such as The Burning Throne, with its ultra-simple but nefarious groove accentuated by spooky synth noises.

On the other hand, sometimes the ramshackleness of it can sound a bit too underpowered. Some of the songs, particularly the slower ones, can be a bit lumpen, like they are relying too much on the grimy atmosphere alone to make it worth listening to. The crawling, plodding Night of Consecration, perhaps, or Red Robe October. The latter channels sludgier elements as well, but seems a bit lethargic and probably doesn’t add a huge amount to the waves of black metal that have already integrated these elements. Some definite highlights, then, on an album that comes across mainly as a dark and dank curiosity.