Spirit Possession – Cathedral Speech (Review)

After three long years, Spirit Possession finally return with a new album. Somewhere in the darkest basement, the duo from Portland have been brewing something more than diabolical. Cathedral Speech, the band’s third and newest studio album, will be released on October 2nd via Sepulchral Voice Records in Europe and Profound Lore Records in the US and the rest of the world.

Spirit Possession are far from unknown in the underground and have made a name for themselves with their uncompromising and raw sound. And Cathedral Speech wastes absolutely no time reminding you of that. With its rough production and almost hypnotic guitar riffs, the band throws you straight into purgatory.

The title track takes no prisoners. As a listener, you’re constantly attacked by riffs and blast beats with absolutely no chance to escape. It almost feels like something is chasing you. With a runtime of almost seven minutes, it quickly becomes clear that Cathedral Speech will be anything but a walk in the park. “Backward Commandments” gives you a short interlude and at least a little bit of room to breathe afterwards.

But we’re still talking about Spirit Possession here. Compared to their previous records, the duo have taken their iconic hypnotic guitar riffs to another level. Songs like “Hanged Angels as Patternwalls” almost feel like a diabolical chase.

Even when the duo occasionally takes their foot off the gas and slows things down, it only takes a few moments before you’re back in the fast lane. Those distinctive riffs are the real highlight for me. They pull you deeper and deeper into the record and refuse to let you escape. Almost like a nightmare you can’t wake up from. That’s where the true strength of Spirit Possession lies.

The vocals sound absolutely hellish, and you can clearly hear that Celtic Frost must have played an important role for the duo. Tom G. Warrior would be proud. URGH!!!

The mix feels organic and fits the band’s sound perfectly. Nothing sounds too sterile. Quite the opposite. It feels like the whole thing was recorded in a dark basement before being sent straight to hell for the finishing touches. Everything sits on the same level and somehow feels perfectly placed within all this chaos.

Even though Cathedral Speech is already their third album, there are hardly any bands that sound even remotely like Spirit Possession. That’s exactly why they still feel so refreshing. They stand out from the grey mass around them and have created something that is unmistakably their own.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, on Cathedral Speech sounds or feels positive. It constantly feels like you’re standing with your back against the edge of an abyss, slowly being dragged deeper into the never-ending spiral of an approaching apocalypse. Tracks like “First Levitation” capture this hellish atmosphere perfectly.

Overall, Cathedral Speech feels noticeably uglier and more disturbing than anything the band has released before. Spirit Possession have created an absolute monster of an album.
The perfect foundation for nightmares.
Claustrophobic. Diabolical. Relentless.

Max Transcended

Name: Max Transcended
From: Weimar (Germany)
Favorite Artists:
Best Show: