Hailing from Lyon, France, this Lovecraft-obsessed band present themselves as something of a cult to the nameless ones that dwell in the abyss, with three albums to date dealing with the depths of the sea and the terrors that lurk there. Cult of Uzura is their most recent, out a couple of months ago on the usually impressive Transcending Obscurity Records of India, and it's a fine addition to a slowly burgeoning discography that seekers of dark delights should more than be aware of! Skaphos play an aggressive form of blackened death metal that, for once, doesn't seem to be directly influenced by Behemoth so much beyond the unescapable similarities - the bombastic, grandiose style, the galloping drums, and so on. As the opening title track quickly proves, they are more than talented enough to carve their own path, even if their sound leans towards the depressive and dank with an overcast production that drapes everything in shadow. Interspersed with moments of grim ambience, such as the wordless male chanting and percussion that opens and closes the piece, it makes for an atmospherically charged listen.

And given that the band prefer lots of shorter pieces rather than fewer lengthier ones (the longest track present being just over five minutes) this means that things keep moving swiftly along and moments that you may not like so much, like the slightly silly snarls interposed with riffs section that opens One Eyed Terror, are soon in the past as some new delight greets your horrified ears. Songs generally are packed with personality, be it riff or tempo changes or even church organs giving proceedings a delightfully doomy dose of dread. There are many examples; Mad Man and the Sea grimly scrapes along with touches of melody hidden beneath the stagnant pools, turning a little dissonant before galloping off into a post-black morass, despairing screams and wails for vocals and a touch of Immolation-esque guitar experimentation closing things off nicely.

The touch of groove to the following Hypoxia changes it up well, having a bit more of that Behemothic/early Mithras-ian bestial aggression with some particularly fine drumming from recent newcomer Nathan "Nerfaath" Faure. And then, a slightly slower pace and a more grandiose tone to Abyssal Tower which later turns like a blackened Gojira, and so on. It's a very well written album, keeping the listener on their toes and containing surprises at every turn. And although some of the surprises aren't always pleasant, depending on the listener's preferences (the throat singing on Echoes of the Drowned worked for your reviewer but might be a touch strange for you, and so on) the likes of acoustic interlude Of Shores and Dripping Souls are both perfectly judged and placed in the tracklisting for maximum impact, right before Skaphism bursts in, all jagged at first before switching to slower, uncomfortably queasy riffing that drags out like the life of the unfortunate.

Perhaps Cult of Uzura comes in a little long at nearly fifty minutes yet the variety in songs is worth preserving and it doesn't grow tiresome - the added catchy hooks that come later in the album such as The Alchemist's pinch harmonics and the stomping groove of Diluvian Sentence are a fine touch from clever songwriters. It's a grimly enjoyable listen throughout, keeping your brain and neck active as you discover new favourite moments on each listen, and more than convinces that Skaphos are an act worth investigating.