Casket Dweller have been active in Athens since 2022 and their ranks include people we know from thrashers Exarsis and Extreme Violence. “River of Slumber” is their first full-length album and their sound looks straight back to the early ’90s.
Country: Greece (Athens)
Genre: Old-school death metal (Swedeath, HM-2)
For fans of: Asphyx, Morgoth, Entombed
The album
The material has the weight of prime Asphyx and Morgoth, with the HM-2 sound up front and an atmosphere that smells of terror. Cemeteries, creatures and wizards pass through the lyrics, on an album that keeps the rules of the genre without staying in imitation.
“He Rows” is one of the album’s early tracks and the trio give their own explanation of it: the story is from death’s own side, rowing his boat to ferry the dead to the other shore. He curses and envies those he carries, because he is bound forever to his fate. The narrative is written like gothic poetry and speaks of the endless cycle of life and death. As they put it themselves, each track on the album tells its own story, with the structure set up like a film script.
Watch one of the tracks that preceded the album:
Our take
The album does not settle for the aesthetic of the era. The production gives volume to the drums without burying the guitars, and the trio find room for tempo changes that keep the interest up. By Greek standards, it is one of the most serious works in the scene in recent years.
See also: Exile of Heaven – Tides of Destiny | Shabti – Haze, Cacophony, and White Light
