Review: Following on from 2021's demented debut LP Decrepit Flesh Relic, Los Angeles based technical doom-death metal entity Civerous surpass, eclipse and utterly devour all of their initially exuded promise with the beastly sophomore effort Maze Envy. Signed to 20 Buck Spin, a major seal of approval for modern metal extremism, the album furthers the growing trend of underground hyper-dense, superbly virtuosic, progressive death metal that simultaneously pulls the brutal blast beats, inhuman guttural vocals and overwhelming speed the genre is known for, and imbues them with cavernous minimal doom dirges and aquatic flourishes of noodling prog rock, resulting in a hallucinogenic sonic tapestry equal parts shimmering and pummelling, oppressive and lush, with the looming sense of Lovecraftian cosmic horrors teetering at the shadows of the abyss.
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