Sumeru - 'Summon Destroyer' Album Review

A band known for their passionately fierce and ear crushing live shows, Sumeru’s onstage energy is exerted with an almost fanatical dedication that it verges on a cult-like rite of sonic exorcism and visceral upheaval. Add in the long-crafted musicianship of each member of this Sydney 5 piece, their ability to peel subconscious layers off of their audiences was apparent since their inception in 2009. Having shared the stage with foreign imports and domestic legends such YOB, Torche, Nick Oliveri (back up band & support), Windhand, Nails, Blood Duster, Beastwars, IEXIST and Lo! Sumeru now stand firmly grounded in the Australian heavy music underground as a defining force of pure riff fury and indomitable low-end groove.

This is right up my street!! I’ve never heard an album start with such a haunting and frightening intro. I’m talking Evil Dead-esque! ‘The Temple’ gets us back on track. There’s lots of Pantera on offer here, and if you love Pantera, you will love these guys. Its moody heavy riffs and some angry vocals make this a very enjoyable track. Title track ‘Summon Destroyer’ a 7 minute epic, edges us away from the doom metal to a more upbeat rock anthem, and is still heavy in it’s own right. There are speed changes galore here, and why not? And before you know it we are back hammering out the heavy stuff. Its truly  is intense and perfect.

‘Embrace The Cold’ gives us a Manowar-style galloping riff which works well, and lyrically here it’s very Nirvana. Every now and then I can hear Holy Terror. These guys influences are clear to hear. ‘Kala Ratri’ is a one minute long acoustic jam, which to me would have been better being the intro for ‘Durga!Durga!’ and not a separate track. There’s some absolute stunning intensity going on with this track. These guys I imagine will be amazing live. Intense, dark, angry, in your face. ‘Durga!Durga! has a riff in it that’s an absolute steal of S.O.D’s ‘March Of the S.O.D’.

As we reach ‘Rivers Of Lethe’, I can only describe this as a pure out and out hard rock track that hits you in every spot. And so we reach ‘A New Ritual’, a 10 minute album closer which can only be described as a comforting, confusing track. The string crunching riffs have been replaced by mellow tones, and the angry vocals have been replaced by some proper singing. Diversity. It’s anthemic in every way, intense in every way, and keeps you gripped right up until about 7 minutes in when the guys suddenly unleash a brutal Black Sabbath style riff on you. Suddenly we are back to the anger, but I don’t know where’s it’s come from. These guys have built it up so cleverly. Its amazing stuff and a brilliant album finisher.

I have got to catch these guys live.

Score 9/10

Reviewed by Sty

Track Listing

1. Inanis Kultus

2. The Temple

3. Summon Destroyer

4. Embrace The Cold

5. Kala Ratri

6. Durga!Durga!

7. Rivers Of Lethe

8. A New Ritual

Line-Up

Matt Power – Vocals

Peter Bursky – Guitar

Chris Wilson – Guitar

Pat taylor – Bass

Andres Hyde - Drums