DESOLATE TOMB: Scorned by Misery

Desolate Tomb
Scorned by Misery
(Rottweiler Records)

Oh my, is this heavy! From the first track, you know you’re in for a wild ride. The
opening riffs are the type of devastatingly heavy stuff that make my heart start beating a
little faster, and the hair stand up on my arms, no lie! This is a full-length album of 10
songs, available digitally via Bandcamp or via physical CDr in a glossy, cardboard
slipcase.

The band is essentially a one-man project from Dakota Whiteside (ex-All Have Sinned,
ex-Broken Flesh) though Daniel Gates was formerly involved (also ex-All Have Sinned),
and formed in 2018, releasing their debut a year later. A long five-year wait has led us
to the release of Scorned in Misery for their sophomore effort, and while the 5-year
silence was tough, it was definitely worth it.

Gosh, I know I keep going on about it, but this is seriously heavy stuff. Scorned rides
the line between traditional death metal and deathcore. As tempting as it is to simply
call it death metal—and let’s be clear, there are lots of elements of traditional dm here
from blastbeats to slowed down sludgy riffs, layers of dissonance, and guttural
growls—there are certainly just enough -core elements, mostly in the fat, chunky riffs, to
keep the deathcore tag. In fact, there are multiple moments on the album where my
blood starts pumping as if I’m just about to jump into the mosh pit. Be comforted
though, dear children, this album is not disjointed in any way. The elements are
combined into a cohesive unit that simply draws from a variety of related influences.
The disc opens with the title track, which features some of the most brutal/traditional dm
on the album. Lyrically, it’s written from the perspective of someone facing death and
being unsure of their eternal destiny. This is intense topical fare, and it suits the music
well. Makes me wonder if the rest of the album is going to follow in a conceptual way.
“The Hands That Mar” deal with the complicated feelings that arise toward someone
(presumably a family member or someone close) who has been guilty of domestic
violence. The author wrestles with intense emotions without offering any cheap
answers:

Now as you lie in your grave below
May the Lord have mercy on your soul
Alone at night, stuck in my thoughts because of you
I look inside and see the malic harbored deep within
Letting this hate take any joy that I have left
A dwelling place for Hell to root inside of me
Not cheery stuff by any means, but reality for those who have tried to struggle with the
reality of the pain caused, and yet somehow find grace to forgive despite the pain.

“Writhing in the Bowels of Hell” is exactly what it says on the tin—a song about
someone experiencing hell after a life of apostasy and blasphemy. The song features a
guest appearance from Robert Manzone (With Blood Comes Cleansing, Searching
Serenity). Similarly, “All is Dust” addresses the end of all things and the coming
judgment that awaits those who have lived life without regard for God nor others.
“Tormented by the Succubus” is a death/grind song about the evils of pornography and
its addictive character. Fortunately, the song doesn’t end there, instead offering hope of
deliverance through submission to Christ:

Tormented by the succubus
A spiritual deception; a mockery of what G-d has called holy
Profane acts of lustful desire
No longer slave to this worldly affliction
I lift my eyes to the Father above
Yeshua, I call out for you
To save me from the temptress’ snare
She holds my thoughts for a deadly ransom
My mind infected with her poisonous words
A mockery of what G-d has called holy
Profane acts of lustful desire No longer slave to this worldly affliction
I lift my eyes to the father above

“Sheepskin” tackles spiritual abuse from ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ and the dangers of
being led astray by false teachers, with eternal consequences. Meanwhile “Spitting
Nails” turns the examination inward to deal with one’s own hateful attitude towards other
believers:

Anger, hatred, violent thoughts, vile speech
Curses under my breath, animosity within
Hate in my eyes, the unsettling display
Of a man who preaches love, but inside he feels hate
Father, please forgive me For I have sinned against your children
Hateful acts committed in hypocrisy The selfish acts of a heretic
Thank God that he does indeed forgive us when we repent of our erroneous ways.
“Yearning Maw of Persecution” deals with injustice in the form of police brutality—or
more broadly speaking, any form of violence by those in power and authority. While this
may be controversial to some readers, the Bible has a lot to say about protecting and
defending the oppressed. Desolate Tomb says it well here:

Injustice is a catalyst to human suffering
For we are subjected to the yearning maw of persecution
Innocence shot down in cold blood
Their life meaningless in the eyes of the wolves

Broken, afraid; scared for their lives
The hunt has begun, the fist of iron strikes down
Shards of lead pierce the flesh
Souls crying for mercy; unheard “I can’t breathe” he cries
As the life leaves his eyes
For a nation that claims to be ‘Under God,’ we have so much work to do in this
area—even as we are grateful for the freedoms we have. “Trail of Tears” carries on the
theme of racial injustice through the lens of that devastating atrocity from our history
(particularly relevant due to band members’ own Native American heritage):
The plague of death to encompass all
Murderous men enforce their will
Disease and blood, their tools of trade
Forced to embark on the trail of tears
As difficult as it is to hear these words, as people of God we must face the sins of our
nation’s past, and engage in collective repentance, examining ourselves as we move
forward in the Light of God’s Word. Besides, this is death metal—nothing about it
should be ‘comfortable.’

Finally, the album closes with “The Suffering Fields,” a poignant song about the tragedy
of so-called ‘unwanted’ children.

Rating:
4.5 / 5

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