Sijjeel - Affiliation Of Horrid Containment

Sijjeel’s 2024 release, “Affiliation Of Horrid Containment”, should be considered a masterpiece for the ages in that they continue to build upon the glorious monstrosity and mastery that is brutal death metal. If you are familiar with 2022’s “Salvation within Insanity”, be prepared for more of the same madness, but also be prepared to be hit twice as hard when these tunes hit your ears. From the intro to the last track, there is absolutely no slack from the band, for they bear down for a relentless attack on your mind, body, and soul. There is a mid-90's nod here that will take you back to a time when this type of metal was fresh and new; and this nostalgia, combined with their own noticeable style, will gain this band and release sufficient time in your stereo. Definitely reminiscent of bands like Origin, Suffocation, Internal Bleeding, Incantation, Immolation, Infected Flesh, Sinister, and Grave. The production here is top-notch as every aspect of the music is crystal clear. This is one of the best produced albums I’ve heard recently, and with this release, the high level of production allows the music to be heard as it was intended to be. Too many times, muddy production hinders the reception of the material but, thankfully, that is not the case here. In fact, I firmly believe that this is part of the reason that this album hits so hard. Anaother point that amazes me about this album is that they use a drum machine. 

Hussain Akbar handles the programming duties as well as guitar and, had I not known he used a drum machine, I would have sworn it was a live drummer! The programming is that good! His riffage is equal in that sense and can get technical if necessary. Handling multiple duties in releasing music is no small task, especially when you’re working with other people. Hussain’s work here is on point and extremely passionate given the genre. Lukas Kaminski is the bassist and he does an excellent job making things all heavy and pulsing. His bass lines are mixed equally throughout, making his work an integral part of this release. A non-extinguishable lifeline connected to the riffage and programming, not to mention the vocals,of which Floor van Kuijk handles. He’s just as brutal as the best of them, and more brutal than some who have been doing vocals twice as long. His vocals remind me of those from Broken Hope. Insanely guttural and growly. This pattern fits well with the music and sends the brutality factor off the scales! These 3 guys have something especially brutal here and, if they keep going like this, they are going to be around for a long time. I hope this is the case because I enjoy this band as they have always put out good quality music. With that being said, they have put quality into brutal death metal, and are near the top of the mountain where that is concerned. Contact the band or Comatose Music for more information on adding this release to your collection.

5 / 5 STARS