Tomb Mold – Manor Of Infinite Forms Review

Tomb Mold took the death metal scene by storm last year with their debut full length Primordial Malignity. Carrying an instantly recognizable sound and more than solid riffing, it’s no wonder the Canadian two-piece appeared on so many 2017 year-end lists. In the band’s own words, they decided to “strike while the iron is hot,” also releasing the Cryptic Transmissions demo later the same year. Tomb Mold shows no signs of slowing down, as the now fully-formed quartet release their sophomore album Manor Of Infinite Forms.

From the opening title track, it is clear Tomb Mold is embracing a thicker production than on the previous album, which had much thinner, almost twangy guitar tones that added a certain charm. However, Tomb Mold is a band that largely rely on riffing, and the shift in production values is a move that pays off, as the more saturated low end only adds to the viciousness of the sound. The twang is still present, if more subdued, displaying a more mature and refined side of Tomb Mold. For example, “Blood Mirror,” the album’s second track and one of the two found on the Cryptic Transmissions demo, comes to life with the greater sense of depth and the meatier tones found on the full-length. Tomb Mold obviously have the total end result in mind when writing new material. When comparing the considerably rougher demo cut to the album addition, the production choices really lock into place and any fan of the band’s previous work that may have been doubting the production shift will have their mind set at ease.

As the album progresses, it is apparent that the iron has indeed remained hot for Tomb Mold. There is no shortage of excellent riffs, and while the descending lead on the preview track “Abysswalker” remains an album highlight, it is by far not the only one.The very next track, “Final Struggle Of Selves,” showcases Tomb Mold’s ability to transition across various tempos without losing any energy. The rhythm section powers forward, plodding determinedly as the tension builds to a pummeling riff backed with mid-tempo kick runs that slip into a powerful groove.

 

 

Tomb Mold remake the other of the demo tracks from Cryptic Transmissions for their penultimate infection. “Chamber Of Sacred Ootheca” is one of those tunes that is going to be a banger from the start and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It contains some of the best tension-and-release moments on the album as well as a blitzkrieg solo ending that transitions into album closer “Two Worlds Become One.” Starting with a finger-picked acoustic section that essentially serves as an interlude, the closer really gets going with a creeping death/doom section that works its way into a d-beat stride. While a longer track on the album and not as hooky as the previous songs, the ender is Tomb Mold giving it their all in terms of displaying their songwriting chops, keeping the listener interested as they leap seamlessly across time changes and tempos, and as always never losing their always-forward momentum. The almost eight minute song feels over in half the time, making for an excellent epic end to the exploration of the moldy Manor.

The band that started as a terrifying spore has evolved into an even more formidable and fearsome fungi, infecting its way through dark, twisting corridors of eukaryotic nightmares. Manor Of Infinite Forms is a study in the refinement and tweaking of Tomb Mold’s brand of death metal without losing the core songwriting and instrumentation that make the band so good in the first place. Tomb Mold is certainly a band that can deliver strike after strike while the iron is hot, and if they can continue to do so will quickly carve out a legacy as one of the more consistent bands in contemporary death metal.