Band:	Trollcave
Album:	Adoration Of The Abyssal Trespasser
Style:	Death doom metal, Funeral doom metal
Release date:	November 15, 2024
A review by:	F3ynman

01. Intro/Grotesque Abyssal Trespasser
02. Abominator's Disease Carrion

A two-part descent into the Trollcave.

Hailing from Barcelona, Spain, Trollcave play a menacing combination of metal's slowest subgenres: death doom and funeral doom. Since a slow atmosphere can run the risk of sounding monotonous and boring, a nice way to experience these genres is in small doses. Thus, let's see what Trollcave’s new 31-minute, two-track EP Adoration Of The Abyssal Trespasser has to offer.

It begins with an entrancing synth introduction, luring the curious listener down slimy, stone steps into the underworld of the unknown. The combination of low, menacing beats and high-pitched, eerie tones provide a hypnotic ambience that I wish lasted longer. Instead, after this four-minute intro, the real instruments leap into action. Slow, plodding guitar riffs create a thick, distorted atmosphere that's sliced apart by each punctuated drum beat and somber, clean guitar notes. Growling, raspy vocals echo around the cavernous soundscape, and, after a mid-tempo, groovy riff, the song ends in a similar fashion as its beginning, with haunting synth-work.

The second track demonstrates a more straightforward approach, jumping headfirst into intimidating, tremolo-picked riffs. Drawn-out, clean vocal wails offer another eerie aspect to the atmosphere. Then, 5-and-a-half minutes in, the guitars once again transition to a groovy, mid-tempo death metal riff, accompanied by fast percussion. Alternating between slow, atmospheric intervals and faster, menacing sections, Trollcave offer enough variety to keep the listener engaged during the song’s 16-minute runtime. As the EP reaches its conclusion with excruciatingly sluggish guitar droning, a brief burst of energy springs up, signalling a final flicker of life, before all is ultimately extinguished, leaving only silence behind.

While Trollcave may not have the majesty or terrifying aura of giants like Tyranny or Catacombs, they still have a lot of potential. The surreal cover art, the haunting synth melodies of the first track, and the echoing growls are all aspects that greatly contribute to the vibe of a psychedelic, unnerving trip into the deepest abyss. And even if this slow, subterranean approach has already been done by multiple bands, Trollcave have crafted an ominous sound that will act as a solid foundation for future releases.