Pyrrhic Salvation Draw From Death Metal's Widespread Legacy On "Manifestum I" (Early EP Stream)

The internet is a vital component of Manifestum I, and not just in terms of its distribution—Pyrrhic Salvation are a group that would not exist without the internet. The technical death metal trio’s debut EP draws upon the annals of death metal history like it’s an online encyclopedia, compressing disparate death metal influences like a gifted student who taught themselves a new language through YouTube. We’re premiering the EP ahead of its release this Friday:

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Manifestum I varies from track to track. “A Martyr…” opens with clean guitars before delving into the old school death metal revival “…To Never Awaken.” The one-two punch combination contrasts with the modern and immolating “Void Mass Revulsion,” whereas “Those That Dwell” adopts a blackened approach with Pyrrhic Salvation plunging deeper into the mire. The EP’s heterogeneity means it runs at a faster pace than its half-an-hour runtime suggests. It never sounds like the group threw these tracks together because it was all they had recorded, a testament to Manifestum I’s coherency despite the distance between band members.

See, Pyrrhic Salvation’s members have never met in person. Chrisom Infernium (of Veilburner),
Michael Altobello, and Sagar Nadgir (of Carcinomic) became friends through Facebook in 2015. The group and their debut EP evolved out of their online discussions into a dive through death metal’s history. Manifestum I should not be such a smooth journey from start to finish given its circumstances, but nevertheless, it is. Pyrrhic Salvation succeed in spite of their recording situation, and the trio’s internet-only status provides the EP other notable features. For example, the mixing is rough around the edges, with the drums sounding rawer than guitars. Yet Pyrrhic Salvation optimize this contrast to highlight the technical guitar lines, and the drums connect them back to death metal’s muddy roots. Furthermore, the uneven production allows Pyrrhic Salvation to distance themselves in a dehumanizing manner. It fosters unpredictability, which the group adds to with their stylistic versatility.

The group’s desire to push their songs into extreme realms is what elevates Manifestum I above its influence. Pyrrhic Salvation thrive due to their ethos: to propel death metal forward by studying its history.

Manifestum I will release February 18th via Pyrrhic Salvation’s Bandcamp page.