Band:	Sarsekim
Album:	Fathom The Spheres
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	April 2009

01. The Consummate Destroyer
02. Continuing The Torment Of Confinement
03. Divining The Vital Source
04. Fragments Of The Unknown
05. The Transition
06. Sequestration
07. Noxious
08. The Tangible Being
+ With Absence Of Warning [video]
+ Photos

You may have heard of this South Australian Black/Death Metal band through their 2005 EP "Paroxysm" and subsequent review on Metal Storm. At any rate, Sarsekim have been around since 1998, made two EPs and have just released their debut album "Fathom The Spheres". If you haven't heard of the music of Sarsekim it's basically Technical Death Metal with a kind of blackened feeling about it. Not only that but they throw in a fair bit of melody into the mix. It's actually quite an interesting mix of extreme and somewhat melodic. Let's dissect this diverse ball of metal a bit further though.

The first thing I noticed about Fathom The Spheres is that the production is a lot better than on previous Sarsekim releases. The drumming for example is cleaner and while it could possibly sound deeper (the bass drum on some tracks more than anything) it is clear of any kind of muddy sounding layer. This album is something that generally sounds quite good loud without any interfering drone.

The music itself is pretty good too. The vocals are a combination of a higher kind of rasp and a deeper Death Metal growl. While this is more of a Death Metal album than anything the blackened aura does contribute to its distinctiveness. The standout adaptation though is the technical side of the Death Metal. The drumming is fast; often with blasting double bass and the guitar-work is fast on the notes and the strumming. Sometimes even with a contrasting heavier and comparatively slower secondary guitar. The melody comes with the technicality as you'd expect, with the clever solos and higher guitar notes.

Fathom The Spheres is unique in that it could appeal to a whole multitude of metal fans but not necessarily all of those in each style's fan group. Technical Death Metal fans will most likely like it, it still contains enough brutality for the other side of the Death Metal world to enjoy it and those into melody (and perhaps even Melodic Death Metal) could find some satisfaction in the album. Even though you wouldn't at all classify Sarsekim's music as "Melodeath".

I liked Fathom The Spheres in the end for its variety and its cleanliness. Even though Technical Death Metal isn't the variety of our most extreme style that I enjoy the most. Its other elements hooked me in enough to make me want to listen to this album multiple times. Technical Death Metal fans should love this album while others though will still like it.