Style: Progressive black metal, progressive death metal, avant-garde black metal (mixed vocals, mostly harsh)
Recommended for fans of: Oranssi Pazuzu, Imperial Triumphant, Meshuggah, The Faceless
Country: Italy
Release date: 27 March 2026

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In Consecrated Abysses of Dread, Andrea Bruzzone (the one man force behind Bekor Qilish) summons the bizarre and mysterious, transporting brave souls into an alternate dimension of progressive black and death metal. Once the listener’s consciousness awakens in the strange reality, the senses are inundated by a surrounding dark, cold cavern—one ruled by an unseeable hostile force. With no choice, the only way out is by probing and exploring this sinister cave system of angular riffs and off kilter drumming. As the senses acclimate to the novel environment, the wonder and intrigue of the Bruzzone’s avant-garde blackened reality take hold. Suddenly, the mind is driven by fascination with the crawling licks rather than apprehension of the unusual.

Bruzzone’s confrontational, high-pitched shriek welcomes the listener in opening track “Emptiness-Wrought Cognition”, his menacing snarl crawling along the cavern walls—all-encompassing. Eerie pulses of dissonant strings swirl, like a swarm of chiropteran creatures intermittently dive-bombing from the ceiling. Consecrated Abysses of Dread speeds along at a furious gallop, with sinister tremolo picked phrases on top of furious blast beats. While Bruzzone consistently marches forward in a blaze on the strings, the drum pacing alternates between rapid and mid-tempo pounding, preventing auditory fatigue from a constant, frantic approach.

The cavern walls, covered by a slimy substance, pulsate with light in a peculiar manner. Themes are commonly introduced by an isolated guitar passage in darkness followed by a thrumming of neon light as the remaining instruments emerge. Bruzzone’s riffs are diverse and complex, frequently refusing to conform to genre expectations. Though through the madness, a stumbling melody repeatedly emerges, alternating between guitar and synth. This harmony acts as a guide through the cave tunnels as a consistent, directional pattern to the surrounding pulsating wall slime, illuminating the path ahead.

Unexpected discoveries are embedded within Bruzzone’s cave lair, as Bekor Qilish’s varied compositions unfurl in strange and unexpected manners. Atypical sonic elements are frequently introduced, like the ominous, crescendoing synths of “The Harmless Mask of Disembowelment” or the computational, algorithmic shimmering of “The Abyss’ Voice Grows Distance”; this results in in a consistent sense of mystery and discovery throughout the exploratory underground journey. Though a one-man act, Bruzzone scatters guests appearances throughout Consecrated Abysses of Dread, including guitar solos from Mick Barr (Krallice, Orthrelm, The Overmold), and Maruo Scarfia (who mixes and produces the album), as well as vocal, string, and effects appearances from Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Vertebra Atlantis) and Saprovore (Strigiform). With all of these added features, Bekor Qilish’s sound never stagnates.

Surprisingly, clean vocals are effectively interwoven in the acoustic track “Everlasting Advent of Eternal Forms – Part 1”, which provides an appropriate reprieve to the surrounding intensity. An interplay exists between the distorted rhythm section and the flowing vocals, which intermittently slides upward in tone like a developing stalagmite, that are interspersed throughout Consecrated Abysses of Dread. By mirroring each other, the rhythm guitar announces the coming presence of the sung passages, which otherwise may have seemed out of place. Don’t be fooled, though, intensity reigns supreme. Peaks include the crescendoing snare that deliciously builds tension to a nearly unbearable level before Bekor Qilish explode into a unified march in “Fatal Remedy of the Unyielding Plague” and the undeniable groove of “Where Horror Fadeth, Error Transcendeth”. Though even in the moments of intensity, the stumbling melodies and underlying synths emphasize the surrounding slimy environment. 

The final third of Consecrated Abysses of Dread lumbers along at a more controlled, mid-tempo pace, as if Bruzzone is accepting the listener’s presence in his lair rather than attempting to drive them off through bursts of rapid intensity. The opening theme introduced in “Emptiness-Wrought Cognition” returns in “None But Nothing Lies Beyond Destiny’s Coils” though at a slower, sleepier pace—while the album closes with an acoustic passage, bidding farewell from the brief and unexpected visit. Ultimately, Bekor Qilish lose a bit of momentum as the album concludes from this shift in tempo, as if the instrumentation is fatigued from the preceding vigorous journey. At thirty-minutes, Consecrated Abysses of Dread flies by, though would have been suited best by sprinting all the way through the finish.

While initially wary of Bekor Qilish’s strange den, the intrigue and wonders of Consecrated Abysses of Dread convinced me to establish temporary residence in Bruzzone’s lair. By embracing the strange and unexpected, you too may enjoy your stay in this strange alternate blackened avant-garde cave system. Just don’t get too comfortable, and watch your back. I’m still not sure what those flying creatures were.

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Recommended tracks: Emptiness-Wrought Cognition, Fatal Remedy of the Unyielding Plague, Where Horror Fadeth, Error Transcendeth
You may also like: Krallice, Strigiform, Overmold, Convulsing, Vertebra Atlantis, Serpent of Old
Final verdict: 7.5/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: I, Voidhanger Records

Bekor Qilish is:
– Andrea Bruzzone (all instruments and vocals)
With guests:
– Mick Barr: guitar solo on Emptiness-Wrought Cognition
– Gabriele Gramaglia: Guest vocals on No Solace at the Eschaton and The Fall of Mortals in the Appearance of the Unneamable
– Lisa Voisard: Guest vocals, guitars and effects on The Fall of Mortals in the Appearance of the Unneamable
– Saprovore: Guest guitar and effects on Fatal Remedy of the Unyielding Plague
– Mauro Scarfia: Guitar solo on Where Horror Fadeth, Error Transcendeth