Band:	Saevus Finis
Album:	Facilis Descensus Averno
Style:	Black metal, Death metal
Release date:	January 12, 2024
A review by:	X-Ray Rod

01. Scourge Of Humanity
02. Aeons Of Spiritual Starvation
03. Thou Hast Destroyed Thyself
04. Unfulfillment
05. Overrun By Pests
06. Corporeal Malfeasent
07. Those Who Aid And Abet
08. Corpse Of Hope
09. Execration
10. Facilis Descensus Averno

So, you want dissonant and disturbing death metal with ritualistic/cosmic horror undertones, but you are so tired of bands overusing lo-fi, echoing and cavernous production? Saevus Finis have got you covered; they may sound hellishly twisted, but they put out their message loud and clear.

Trying to find any information about Saevus Finis has not been an easy task, but that might turn to their favor. After all, it is more intriguing to discover that these newcomers from Portugal appeared out of nowhere, with no other releases nor previous projects before their debut. Released 5 years after the band’s formation, one can easily hear that a lot of work and care has been put into Facilis Descensus Averno.

Normally, this type of death metal has a completely different sound. When it comes to complex maelstroms of occult death metal, I immediately think of acts like Portal, who are known for having an impenetrable wall of sound due to the murky production. Saevus Finis do take influences from bands of that style (and a bit of Abyssal, for good measure), but made a conscious decision to have a transparent, approachable sound and mix. This allows the thick and potent riffs to shine through with much bravado. The more technical, dissonant sections are easier to appreciate, which has the secondary effect of giving Saevus Finis a slight mechanical sound not unlike something I would have heard from Blut Aus Nord. But don’t think for a second that this album is under the risk of sounding too clean and clinical. On the contrary, the riffs have a warm touch to them. Together with the deep growls and the punishing yet detailed drumming, one could draw comparisons to heavy-hitters like Immolation, due to the hellish yet technical style. This is true for highlights like the fast-turned-doom “Overrun By Pests”, or the sheer intensity at the end of “Thou Hast Destroyed Thyself”.

With only 40 minutes, Facilis Descensus Averno has made a great impression on me. When there is an saturated market on a certain type of music, it boils down to how well you perform and present your product. Saevus Finis achieved a well-rounded result. This is a hellish, trance-inducing crusher of a debut, good for seasoned death metal cultists, as well as those who are just getting into more adventurous waters.