Band – Construct of Lethe
Album – A Kindness Dealt In Venom
Country of Origin – USA
Genre – Death Metal
Release Date – June 21, 2024
Label – Transcending Obscurity Records
Author – Hayduke X
“A Kindness Dealt In Venom,” the latest full length by the US death metal innovators Construct of Lethe, was written as a single long form piece. For ease of listening, etc, it is nominally divided into twelve tracks, but it is best consumed as a whole. With that said, we are proud to share a chunk of the upcoming full length with you today. Two chunks really, though they are very much related. I am the Lionkiller works as an interlude between the prior piece Flickering and Labyrinthine Terror, which we are also premiering here today. Tribalesque drums and a building rhythm climb up the emotional mountain to lend a larger gravity to the latter track, which digs deep into the darkness. Labyrinthine Terror is a track full of oppressive riffs and tension building dynamics. Give the duo a listen, then jump below for my full review.
Several years ago (2018), I was first turned onto Construct of Lethe through the release of “Exiler.” I reviewed it then, which can be read here, and remain a fan of that album. It has aged well. “A Kindness Dealt In Venom” blows it out of the water. This is easily one of the best death metal albums I’ve heard this year. Intended as a single journey for the listener, rather than multiple individual tracks, the concept is an autobiographical catharsis around suicidal depression. The music is incredibly emotional, capturing anger, rage, helplessness, anxiety, and more.
The band consists of Kishor Haulenbeek, whose vocal attack is gloomy and gritty and powerful. Tony Petrocelly handles bass, guitar, and synth on the album, each adding new layers of darkness. Lead guitar (including some stunning solo work) is the domain of Patrick Bonvin. The dynamic drumming, which changes styles and attacks as the songs demand, is courtesy of Kevin Paradis. The layers of death metal brick and mortar used to construct this album create a Labyrinthine (if you’ll excuse my theft of the word) structure both Brutalist and Avant Garde.
Construct of Lethe capture something special on this album. I often see it said that they are influenced by Morbid Angel, which is fair, but honestly they surpass at least most of what that iconic band has released over the years on this one. “A Kindness Dealt In Venom” is what the result should have been had that band continued to evolve, innovate, and improve.
Preorder the album on the Transcending Obscurity Bandcamp or website.
vBiography: Hayduke X has been writing for MoshPitNation since June of 2016. He is also a contributor to The Metal Wanderlust. Prior to joining the MoshPitNation team, Hayduke published reviews on his own blog Rage and Frustration. In addition, he has DJ’ed an online metal radio show of the same name as his blog, written for TOmetal.com, done interviews for Metal Rules, and collaborated with The Art of B Productions to create video interviews with a wide variety of bands.
