Profanity – Fragments of Solace

Yet our fortunate ears can already lay claim to a flood of top notch techdeath releases. We’ve heard Gojira exploding into our spring with Fortitude, greeted new tracks from Vilthjarta, and Cannibal Corpse have offered us their usual face-melting extremity. But let us not forget a mere five months previous. In December of 2020,, Germany’s seminal three-piece Profanity delivered unto us an undisputed masterpiece with Fragments of Solace – their most recent full-length venture. This staggering monument to musical diversity and technical proficiency is a feast for the ears. The album is an organic fusing of the technical, brutal and melodic.

We begin with “Undisputed Territory”. The song wastes no time on preamble. We’re tossed in the midst of a churning and galloping combination of bludgeoning blastbeats and grinding guitars. The deep gutterals augment the intensity. And when the drums are dropped and the bass strings scrape to life, we are off to the races. The guest solo from Dave Suzuki (Church Burn) seers its way through our senses. “Progenitor of the Blaze” continues the auditory assault. Here is where the progressive elements make their presence known. It’s an epic romp where what could be just a solo is replaced with a carefully structured latticework of fluid tapping and delicious legato that structure this ballad to the struggle for existence. Fragments of Solace is a dynamic listen. There are progressive and frenetic passages reminiscent of Obscura or Derelict (“Disputed Territory”, “Reckless Souls”.) But the record is focused on constructing a blend of the beautiful and the excoriating headbanging obscenities they’ve offered for almost three decades. So this progressive element is not to deny that there are many moments of unmitigated death metal throughout. There’s even some slam vocals similar to Athanatos from Dimitry Orlov of Fetal Decay (“Towards the Sun”). In fact, what makes the experience such a joy is the trio’s astonishing amalgamation of these styles. I cannot recommend Profanity’s latest offering highly enough. Get it, put on your headphones or finest speakers, and prepare to have your eardrums blown to smithereens. Or more likely, to fragments.

Profanity.de