Death metal revival with epic and melodic spots - A review of Atrocity's Okkult II

Five years ago, Atrocity launched the first part of its Okkult album trilogy. The versatile band adopted an epic symphonic death metal style for the first release. The booklet of the limited edition included hints at an international treasure hunt as the band planned to hide records with unreleased song material at different locations. Over the past few years, Atrocity receded into the background. The second part of trilogy seemed to be delayed in favor of new symphonic folk metal material by Leaves' Eyes. There were no news whatsoever of the treasure hunt and I was afraid that the trilogy that had started so promisingly would be canceled. But Atrocity is more reliable than Manowar and the likes and has now released the second part of the trilogy that had been preceeded by an extended play last year. The four songs of said extended play are also included in sometimes slightly different versions on this album. Seven tracks are completely new and one also gets a wonderful cover artwork and booklet and a limited edition with an unnecessary instrumental bonus disc when most fans would have actually prefered some live material.

Stylistically, Atrocity goes even further back to its roots than on the predecessor. The symphonic elements and choirs have been reduced and are only included occasionally to back up choruses and support transitional bridges. The German quartet rather focuses on powerful death metal with sinsiter and expressive harsh vocals, fast but skilled drum patterns, powerful and pumping bass tones and heavy riffs finding the balance between at times simplistic passages and a few more technical aspects. The record is well-produced and sounds much more coherent than most Atrocity records released since the band's early years. However, the tracks become more memorable when the band includes minor experiments in form of more mid-paced chugging riffs, a few harmonious guitar solos, extended atmospheric breaks, German lyrics or guest vocalists like Marc Grewe of former Morgoth fame in "Gates to Oblivion" or Entombed A.D.'s Lars-Göran Petrov  in "Devil's Covenant".

In the end, Okkult II is a great record if you like death metal with a melodic and atmospheric touch. However, one can't categorize this album as melodic death metal or symphonic death metal like parts of the predecessor. Atrocity goes back to the roots without repeating itself. The record's biggest strength is its consistency without any fillers. Its only weakness is that it doesn't have too many memorable or outstanding passages. My favorite songs are the dynamic, epic and orchestral "Bloodshed and Triumph", the sacral and chugging "Gates to Oblivion" as well as the atmospheric and narrative yet brutal and sinsiter "Infernal Sabbath" to only name three very good songs. Any death metal fan can give this release a spin without hesitation as it isn't necessary to be familiar with the first part of the trilogy to enjoy Okkult II.

Final rating: 80%