Spain’s Totengott, named after a Celtic Frost song title, is bound to sound like Celtic Frost. Picked off the Swiss legend’s Monotheist album, specifically “Triptych: I. Totengott,” Totengott have also designed their sound off of the Monotheist album, both as a tribute and as a way to say, “Simple is often better.” While the group’s debut EP, Doppelgänger, spawned in 2017 off of two demos, Lucifuge Rofocale (Celtic Frost Demo) and Totengott, they’re only now beginning to make waves. That Totengott make no bones about who they sound like (and why) really sets the stage for some mid-paced, open-chorded dark metal, the likes of which have reverberated through the halls of death, doom, and black metal for an eon.
Certainly, opening track “Delusion of Negation” and closing track “Doppelgänger” are Warrior-derived bees knees, but it’s on “Satan Beside You” where Nacho Void, Chou Saavedra, and Jose Mora prove they’ve got the late period-Celtic Frost style and spirit emanating out of their fingers, eyes, and hearts. They sound inspired, informed, and energized, palatable as the song’s 14-minute span relives some of the heaviest grooves and darkest runs known to man.
Recorded at Anglagard Recording Studio Grao, Spain by the trio between 2016 and 2017, Doppelgänger sounds massive. Almost as massive Warrior and Peter Tägtgren’s work on Monotheist, actually. That Doppelgänger was mastered by James Plotkin ensures that the performances are crisp, but gritty, loud yet not too over-driven. There’s perfection at play on Doppelgänger, right down to the killer Moonspell-inspired (think Under the Moonspell EP) goat-horned cover art by Procesonegro Art Studio.
Let’s all drown in ashes as progeny of the Synagoga Satanae. Hail!
** Totengott’s Doppelgänger EP is out now on Xtreem Music. Those feeling the sorrow of the moon can order it direct from Totengott via Bandcamp (HERE).
** Check out Decibel’s Celtic Frost To Mega Therion Hall of Fame induction issue HERE.
