Earlier this year, formerly-Brazilian and now-multinational death metal outfit Escarnium broke their silence for the first time in six years, releasing two-song EP Through the Depths of the 12th Gate. It was the band’s declaration that they had returned better than ever and on their new, third album, they prove it.
Dysthymia—a word that refers to persistent mild depression—is a six-song offering that fully demonstrates the power of Escarnium’s new, full lineup. Proudly displaying influences from Vital Remains, Morbid Angel and Incantation, Dysthymia is a murky, hefty slab of death metal that tackles two topics: mental illness and the horrors of the modern world. Says band leader and guitarist Victor Elian:
“I spent my whole life trying to understand what fuck was going on my mind, like an eternal feeling of grief and emptiness, and in 2020 I hit rock bottom and I had to do something about it. I tried so many treatments and nothing worked out. Finally, I got the proper diagnosis.
“I have, Dysthymia… I’m Dysthymic. It’s a depression, not strong enough to make me want to kill myself, but strong enough to take all my quality of life away; it’s crippling and debilitating.
“Over the years, and being guilty of it myself in the past, I’ve grown a bit tired of the typical “Metal” lyrical themes, and I wanted to explore some other stuff. Coming out of the pandemic and learning all of this about myself, it seemed like the perfect time. I started exploring this new lyrical territory with the first single we released back in January of this year, Through the Depths of the 12th Gate, our first new music in some time.
“I think the name of this record reflects a lot the zeitgeist of this fucked up world we are in. This album is very much connected to my personal life and thoughts about the state of mankind.”
Dysthymia is out on September 9 via Redefining Darkness, but you can stream it now.
