The havoc of a mind implanted by daimonian scourge-hand finds its greatest point of chaotic swarming, a desperate act from possessed Temuco, Chile-based death metal quartet Deconsekrated as they arrive upon their first official statement after just a few years in writhing development. Though we could debate whether or not it constitutes a full-length album ‘Ascension in the Altar of Condemned‘ is yet notably formed, making its inverted indentation with foaming-at-the-mouth blasphemic death metal laced with dark, ritualistic ambiance. Their still-evolving occult force does not make a subtle or humble showing here, delivering haunting atmosphere and fiery ruin aimed at the classics-minded death metal listener.

Deconsekrated formed circa 2020 (originally as Deconsecrate) by way of guitarist/main songwriter Agorh Sculpor (Cryptic) and vocalist/bassist Kat Laptikovsk as their collective efforts quickly produced a fairly average two-song demo tape (‘The Hidden Paths‘, 2020) around mid-June of that year. Their aim was clearly old school and aggressively blasphemic with a clear focus on riffcraft first and foremost, though there was a hint of interest in the occult atmospheric values we often found in certain cults of Chilean death metal in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Those same two songs would find their way onto a split, a couple of reissues, and it wasn’t until 2021 that we’d gotten our first taste of what was next with the “Thaumaturgvs” standalone digital single, the first and most clear indication of what was to come and a better developed sense of a song rather than the blaze-through that’d featured on their first tape. Within the next year the line-up had expanded to include a rhythm section with members of Abhorior (Chl) and Invunche and I don’t entirely understand what happened with the original vocalist/bassist but she was replaced in 2023 when the record was finished (but, potentially partially re-recorded?) and seeking a label. There are few concrete details to consider otherwise, leaving us with very little context in approach of this mLP-length debut record from the band.

The haze over the exact details does not hinder the enjoyment available to ‘Ascension in the Altar of Condemned‘, an experience which casts its ominous shadow in full flex within just a few minutes of firing up. Though we are greeted with reverse-wrapped chants and incense spewing totem per a short introductory piece opener “Ancestral Voice” quickly engages the ear with the precision talents of session drummer Krzysztof Klingbein and this is an obvious notch above the likely programmed rudiments of Deconsekrated‘s first tape, allowing their attack to breach the expanse with a serious pummel from the start. The rhythm guitar interest which introduces the song (see also: “Impure Glorification”) is neither outright technical nor is it barbaric in thought, presenting the sort of swerving ‘Covenant‘-esque spin upon the illustrative lines you’ll find on classics like ‘Mortal Throne of Nazarene‘ which is of course its own tradition and biome at this point. We get a more consistent and focused thread on its immediate successor “Spectral Rites” which is probably the standout piece on the album for the sake of its readable induction and faster pace, a fairly primitive result compared to the best of Godless but more adventurous in its exaggerations of riff and groove than say, Infamovs. In this sense we can squarely place this record’s dark and unforgiving path alongside the more wrathful Incantation-esque species of Chilean death metal but without yet having taken stock of how they develop this style on the full listen.

At the mid-point “Litany of the Blasphemous” had initially threatened to be a filler piece with its stirring chasmic horrors and chthonic chanting lasting nearly a full three minutes before Deconsekrated begin to paint with gnarled tremolo-picked riffs and disjointed harmonies, moving slow but never dripping into death-doom entirely. This was where I’d felt the connection to their earlier songwriting, or, general style of riff carried over best and where we also hear the next-level beasthood of their sound around ~5:07 minutes into the song where layers of vocals include the same sort of sinister chants into the vomitous retching of the song’s main peak near the end. The grinding tension of “Impure Glorification” is arguably the most standout song herein, if only because the vocals has developed some over the top traits and the riffs are flowing to the point that ‘Ascension in the Altar of Condemned‘ finally seems to have found its location, a sense of haunt and pulpit from which their blasphemies flow, and it doesn’t hurt that the drum work is allowed a bit more fill-heavy expression and general momentum to work with on this particular song

If we count the last couple of minutes of closer “Consumed by Emptiness”, intro piece “Invocation”, and nearly three minutes of dark ambient introduction to “Litany of the Blasphemous” roughly ~5-6 minutes of this nearly 29 minute album consists of liminal space, place-setting or filler which serves some meaningful function in characterization of the album and providing crucial atmosphere to its events and theme but even with this considered I’d just as well make a point to call this an EP (or mini-LP, same thing) and not expect a release substantial enough to call an LP. Though the length of the record and how it is labelled isn’t such an important point I’d felt the whole experience lacked a fitting conclusion, a stopping point that looped back well and left a crater before it did. Otherwise the interesting enough atmospheric climes, rallies of riff, pristine drum performances, and the strong vocal expression of this album give us something concrete enough to chew on and enjoy as a first serious recording from Deconsekrated. Per my own experience it was the sort of record which presents excellent action throughout but doesn’t necessarily land an unforgettable point of focus and as such it didn’t find everlasting host in my mind. A moderately high recommendation.

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