apanthropy

Coscradh
Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld
20 Buck Spin
To Be Released: February 20th, 2026

Rating: 8.5/10

“Coscradh camp neither death metal nor black metal, but some twisted quagmire in between. Not in a sense of ‘blackened’ death metal, but in a sense of oppressive atmosphere and hyperaggressive delivery, tinged in shades of chaotic night. If one uses the term, ‘war metal’ would not be far from the mark, as it would be a fitting description for numerous violent phrases littered throughout the new record, explosively percussive, rhythmic, and constantly churning”

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1 – Five Fifths Awaken
2 – Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld
3 – Adhradh Dé Ghoac
4 – Caesar’s Revelation (Hibernia L. VI V. XIV ad XVI et XXIV)
5 – The Calling
6 – Scythe of Saturn
7 – Badhah’s Shadows
8 – Opening the Gates to Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra
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There are a handful of extreme metal bands that can only be defined as being ‘dark.’ Not in a sense of the Satanic panic of the old-school death metal and black metal bands but one more reflective of something that surpasses the basic descriptions of death metal or black metal in general. To be described as ‘dark,’ every element of the band’s sonic delivery aims to achieve a certain atmosphere of negative energy, a bleakness, something powerful and malignant. Each riff, drum strike, and vocal line delivered must work in conjunction with one another to create a living expanse of horrid sound.

Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld, to be released on February 20th, 2026 through 20 Buck Spin, is a moment of audio darkness. Coscradh camps neither death metal nor black metal, but some twisted quagmire in between. Not in a sense of ‘blackened’ death metal, but in a sense of oppressive atmosphere and hyperaggressive delivery, tinged in shades of chaotic night. If one uses the term, ‘war metal’ would not be far from the mark, as it would be a fitting description for numerous violent phrases littered throughout the new record, explosively percussive, rhythmic, and constantly churning. Fans of Teitanblood, Qrixkuor, or even Blasphemy and Diocletian should take note, as it possesses all the prominent destructive qualities that these bands are known for but incorporates maniacal atmospherics and periods of chaos worship that echo bands such as Revenge and Malthusian.

Eight songs in 44 minutes, with a composition consisting of an intro track, interlude, and six core songs. Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld takes a relatively long-form approach to execution, with all the core songs lasting far past the five-minute mark. What is achieved here is a bit of triumph for the Irish scene, one that is now commanding attention. The very fabric of the album is, most of the time, a matrix of chaos. One listen perhaps blindsides the listener with a massively saturated sound and delivery, but multiple listens show the intricate detail work of the dual guitar attack, the machine-gun fury of the percussion, and the contrast of crushingly heavy blasting metal with trance-like mid-tempo and slower phrases.

The title track is the first full formal song of the record, spellbinding dissonant riff work opens the ritual, chromatic, with intricate details in the execution, such as bends, slides, and minor chord voicings. This is a riff-forward record, not so much in terms of density, but sheer power. The drumming, provided by Boban Bubnjar, is a physically demanding demonstration of sheer endurance and stamina. Much like the storming chaos of early Angelcorpse, the sensation of forward-charging fury is overwhelming. In contrast to the moments of sheer audio violence are phrases of slower, more atmospheric passages, that serves as moments of respite against an otherwise constantly pounding rancor.

‘Adhradh Dé Ghoac’ embodies the concept of dark death metal. The entire band is in perfect sequence with one another, moving from riff structure to riff structure like one would move from victim to victim in a berserk rampage. Multi-faceted vocals really shine here, taking on various roles within the fluidity of the track, like a choir of the dead. With most of the band contributing vocals, there is a vast range of techniques employed that whip the songs forward and crown the scourge.

There are moments of direct assault that represent some of the finest death metal in the global scene, tracks such as ‘Scythe of Saturn’ are frontal attacks with barbaric riffs and machine-gun drumming, separating themselves from the majority and genuinely transmitting some of the most vicious tonality we have seen this year so far.

One of the finest moments of the record comes with the closing track, ‘Opening the Gates to Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra.’ A long-form attack on the senses, with lead work rife with whammy bar abuse and squealing chaos, invoking early Morbid Angel, through both insane rhythm and sheer riff saturation. The record ends strong, as every good record should.

One expects something to falter within music of this vicious caliber. Coscradh, at no time, falter during the course of Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld, it is a dynamic execution of riffs, drumming, and layered vocal assault that is unusually aggressive but one distinctive of a band that has actual chemistry with one another. It’s not ‘caveman’ riff attacks or riffs-per-minute fireworks that make the record great, but the methodical delivery of a sonic narrative that is only possible through skilled composing. There is a sense of darkness invoked here that makes the record a genuinely negative experience, one that should really captivate the listener. The tonal palette and sonic delivery of Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld are worth experiencing if one desires audio depravity of the highest order.

Label: 20 Buck Spin
Band: Coscradh

AJK