Photo courtesy of the artistChthe'ilist first started turning heads back in 2012 with Amechth'ntaas'm'rriachth, a purposefully unpronouncable foray into bizarre Lovecraftian horror and pitch-perfect old-school death, and ever since that release first saw the cruel light of day, anticipation's been running high for the Montreal trio's first proper album. Four years down the line, Cthulhu (aided by three long-haired Quebecois dudes) has answered our prayers. Le Dernier Crépuscule wears its influences on its sleeve; Demilich, Timeghoul, and Corpsessed are easy touchpoints, but the members of Chthe'ilist are too talented and too hungry to be satisfied by merely aping their predecessors.The album's tight, high-minded complexity is firmly balanced by big, fat death metal grooves, innovative bass work (see "The Voices from Beneath the Well" especially), and a damp, sepulchral atmosphere. The aural nightmare is further complemented by band leader Philippe Tougas' dry rasps, wet, reptilian gurgles, and colorful tales of eldritch horror; like Immortal, Chthe'ilist has created its own fantasy realm to run wild within, but Eil’udom's malevolent gloom feels far more sinister than Blashyrkh's pristine snow drifts.Profound Lore will release Le Dernier Crépuscule on January 29, and we're streaming the album in full below. Enter the depths, if you dare. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
Kim Kelly is heading into the Vaults of Ingurgitating Obscurity, AKA Twitter.