MORTUOUS (USA) - Upon Desolation (sealed CD copy) (2022) Released by Carbonized Records issued in a standard jewel case w/clear tray & 8-page booklet.
Four years after their breakthrough debut album, San Jose’s MORTUOUS returned in September of 2022 with "Upon Desolation," a sophomore effort that refined their "rotten" aesthetic into something more atmospheric and expansive. 
While still deeply indebted to the legends of the San Francisco Bay Area and the early 90's Death/Doom scene, the album saw the band evolving beyond simple "worship" into a more distinct, professional force.
Upon Desolation is often described as "vicious" and "asphyxiating." It balances the raw, sewer-dwelling grit of Autopsy with the cavernous, doomed-out weight of Incantation. Key stylistic shifts on this record include:
The addition of violin (notably on "Nothing") and piano creates a melancholic atmosphere reminiscent of early My Dying Bride or Paradise Lost, contrasting sharply with the brutal riffs.
The songwriting is more complex than their debut, featuring "twisting" tremolo riffs and more frequent, frantic guitar solos.
The interplay between Tarvin and Beams' gutturals adds a layer of density to the mix, ranging from deep growls to more tortured, higher-register screams.  --  Carbonized Records – ASH025