In his essay collection The Edge of the Unknown, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle described ectoplasm as “a viscous, gelatinous substance which appeared to differ from every known form of matter.” Seen as evidence of a supernatural realm, Doyle describes the substance lining empty coffins, left as a ghost’s footprint, or pouring from the mouth of a tormented medium. Like their namesake, the riffs from Greek death metal sect Ectoplasma drip with supernatural dread. On their upcoming sophomore record Cavern of Foul Unbeings—out January 22nd from Memento Mori—band founders Giannis Grim and George Wolf are possessed by old school death metal’s spirit once again.
In “Primeval Haunting,” a terrified voice feels an unwelcome presence. The disembodied voice must not be a fan of ripping old school death, because Ectoplasma embody the brute force of mid-’90s Dismember and Benediction. But Ectoplasma aren’t content to be a worship project; their sound is a hybrid that has sharpened since their Spitting Coffins debut. When the prowling bass takes the lead at 3:20, it flings the track into one of Autopsy’s cesspool-splashing breakdowns. While there’s a dash of that familiar Stockholm’s buzzsaw, flashes of a Demigod shirt confirm the Finnish brutality that also propels the track.
“Primeval Haunting” has the mystery and menace of an ill-fated seance. In 1990 date-flick Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg’s psychic/medium character uses supernatural forces to warn a mourning Demi Moore, “You’re in danger, girl.” Press play on the video below and confront the danger of Ectoplasma’s “Primeval Haunting.”
Pre-order Cavern of Foul Unbeings from Memento Mori HERE.
Follow Ectoplasma on Facebook HERE for news, merch, and live hauntings.
