Samskaras – Lithification – Blessed Altar Zine

Band: Samskaras
Title: Lithification
Country: Canada
Label: Independent
Release date: 26 October 18
Format reviewed: Digital Mp3

This time I am diving into a scene I am not overly familiar with, never the less it is a strong scene. One might argue that is a very strong scene: The Québec Technical Death Metal Scene. It is a mouthful, it is a scene naturally consisting of some of the most talented and almost ridiculously skilled musicians in metal. The musicians in the scene seems to kind of jump around in different bands, though I`m not in any way an expert on this scene, bands like Cryptopsy, Gorguts, Sutrah & Augury has come to my attention over here. David Davidson of Revocation stated somewhere that the Quebec band Martyr is a big influence, a stamp of approval, if there ever was one!

So, what is my background to review Québec Technical Death Metal? Well, I have been to Québéc, I have been record-hunting there, my native Norway have many similarities to Canada, I have eaten Poutine (consisting of French fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy) but most importantly I came across Samskaras about 3 weeks ago. Samskaras is a duo, members Eric Burnet (Derelict, Unburnt) and Alexandre Dupras (Teramobil, Unhuman) formed in 2014. They released 2 singles that year, and in 2017 they released an 4 track ep: “Asunder” which sparked an increasing interest in the metal community. This week they are back with another ep: Lithification. The band has once again partnered with Cryptopsy’s Chris Donaldson at The Grid Studio in Montreal. They are unsigned and is releasing this at Bandcamp (“The band takes a Name What You Pay approach” to their releases there). The band cites influences like fellow Québécois artists such as Gorguts, Neuraxis, Quo Vadis, Cryptopsy, and Despised Icon. Those influences seem obvious for the scene, but they also mention inspirations like Anaal Nathrakh, Converge, Wood of Ypres, Cattle Decapitation, and Enslaved. Thus, making a more unique approach to Technical DM. Being only 4 tracks makes this journey through “Lithification” less than 20 minutes long. Those minutes run fast, repeat needs be engaged on your stereo. 4 tracks with speed, emotion, atmosphere along with their technicality. I am stoked to discover these guys. This time around I don`t think I want to mention any special track, just saying that all 4 are brilliant. Have this in my car, last week I think I played it about 10 times in a row on a long drive. The guitars are blistering, the drums are killer, production is crystal clear, Eric Burnets vocals deserves another mention, his has a great range & diversity to his voice.