InThyFlesh - Claustrophobia CD

This is the third album by the Portuguese Black Metal band In Thy Flesh and a follow up to the magnificently titled “Lechery, Maledictions and Grieving Adjures to the Concerns of Flesh”. The sleeve of this album has bleak and grey scenes of crumbling buildings and children in gas masks, suggesting that this one might be a grim experience. The explanation given is that “Claustrophobia” comprises “50 minutes of grim melodies and harsh violence in a conceptual album about decadence and debauchery”. Of course it’s not jolly but I have to say that I found it more uplifting than this description might suggest. There is a definite pattern to the music throughout the album. What I heard was a series of majestic and fiery instrumental Black Metal rhythms, supported by passionate, belligerent and angst-ridden vocals. In fact the vocals, which incidentally are in Portuguese, are more like a series of harshly screamed statements used as an anguished weapon with pauses between them for us to absorb them and imbibe the hate-filled instrumental input. It’s kind of Mayhem in a more upbeat sort of way. The opening “Da Nosse Carne” fires off intensely and loftily. It ploughs on in the same vein. There’s melody and the vocalist integrates feeling with the screams. The structure and rhythms are impressive, and there’s great subtlety. Various moods are created and while “Perdicao No Vicio d’Austeridade” has something interesting coming out of the fearful murkiness, “Alvoroco de Antepcipacao” is more precise and threatening, yet has flair. Whilst “Solfrego Desencontro” has a ringing but not unmelodic beat, there’s a strong emotive edge in spite of the persistently harsh vocals. The percussion is prominent in driving this lively work forward and can be mechanical and exotic, as on the final track “Submerso em Instantes”, on which the screams add further punch to an already strong track with the customary steady and entrancing riff. Perhaps the most interesting track of all is “Hasteado ao Infortunio”. A good, hooky line draws us in. The drums batter away frantically and then for the only time, it slows down completely and the soft and deliberate guitar work is matched by the desperate Death Metal growls of early Tiamat. The track picks up again, and it’s at this point that I equated the powerful screams and images of horror to the pictures of children in gas masks on the sleeve. It’s as if we’re under attack throughout this album. This is Metal with a purpose. Thanks to a Portuguese guy I met at a concert some years ago, I knew there are some impressive bands around from his country. What I’d mostly heard was Death Metal but this is the first time I’ve heard Portuguese Black Metal or Blackened Death Metal. This album isn’t about its country of origin though but from what I can see and hear it’s about the musical interpretation of suffering. It’s perhaps strange to say that the album “Claustrophobia” is refreshing but it is. It’s potent, majestic and there’s plenty of feeling. As a listener I appreciated the style and was easily able to engage in its passion. “Claustrophobia” is a fine work.


1. Da Nossa Carne 06:55
2. Abismo Interior 05:52
3. Devaneios De Rejeição 04:41
4. Hasteado Ao Infortúnio 10:35
5. Perdição No Vício d'Austeridade 07:05
6. Enfermidade Delirante 01:38   instrumental
7. Alvoroço De Antecipação 06:45
8. Sôfrego Desencontro 05:33
9. Submerso Em Instantes 07:14
Spielzeit 56:18