| Xaoc's Proxime Mortis is a testament to persistence, precision, and unrelenting brutality. Originally conceived in the late 2000s, the album’s long-gestating existence has only refined its ferocity, culminating in a death metal experience that is both razor-sharp and savagely intense. With guitarist Tony Petrocelly at the helm, alongside drummer Giulio Galati (Hideous Divinity), lead guitarist J Alexander (Hatefuck), and the monstrous vocal presence of Davis Mullen (Cammo Shorts), Proxime Mortis delivers a relentless onslaught of technical and infernal death metal.
From the first thunderous strikes of Terror Forge, the album wastes no time in establishing its oppressive atmosphere, as Galati’s rapid-fire drumming collides with Petrocelly’s massive, jagged riffs in a storm of calculated aggression. The album seamlessly balances suffocating speed with groove-laden sections, calling to mind the savage intensity of Severed Savior and the warped precision of Gorgasm, while also channeling the malevolent spirit of Altars of Madness-era Morbid Angel.
Tracks like I Am Flesh stand as towering monuments to brutality, delivering churning, Suffocation-style breakdowns and dissonant flourishes that keep the listener in a perpetual state of unease. Ars Goetia shifts its attack pattern with unpredictable transitions, maintaining sheer force while injecting just enough variation to keep the compositions from feeling one-dimensional. Meanwhile, Processions of Suffering revels in its own feral energy, its monstrous vocal performance underscoring the album’s sheer venomous intent.
A highlight throughout Proxime Mortis is Mullen’s commanding vocal performance. Rather than relying solely on cavernous gutturals, he injects a tangible rage into every line, giving the album an urgency that transcends mere technical execution. The raw emotional weight in his delivery—reminiscent of the sheer intensity of Joe McGlynn (Man Must Die)—adds an extra dimension of hostility, making the album feel like an unrelenting force of nature.
As I, Pilate closes the album with a final punishing blow, Proxime Mortis leaves little room for doubt—this is death metal done right. With an expertly honed sound that balances technical prowess and visceral impact, Xaoc emerges as a dark horse contender in the modern extreme metal landscape. The road to this album may have been long, but the results speak for themselves: Proxime Mortis is an unrelenting masterclass in controlled chaos.
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