KHROPHUS, Presages (2009, Fonomídia)

The skull:
Grimy and no doubt freshly disinterred, this is a proper grave skull. Dark background, deep shadows, not a tooth in sight: you know you’re in for some death metal. I mean, it presages you listening to some death metal. The skull’s all, “I foresee you listening to some death metal in the near future,” and you’re like, “Yeah, yeah, Nostradamus,” so he says, “Consider it presaged,” and you think, “This fucking guy…”

The music:
Like Cannibal Corpse minus (most of) the stupidity, Khrophus play meat and potatoes modern death metal without any fuss. Featuring lots of squealies, lots of minor third trills, and all the arbitrary riff changes you can stomach, Khrophus are nevertheless a fairly restrained example of the form, and that (relative) tastefulness is probably holding them back in the scene. Or not, I don’t know. Maybe all the kids these days love Khrophus. Maybe “Khrophus, Khrophus, Khrophus” is all you hear coming out of the Brazilian equivalent of Hot Topic. I can say at least that I’d rather listen to this than Krisiun, but I absolutely don’t ever want to listen to Krisiun. So: Khrophus. Better than two bands I can’t stand. Enjoy?
— Friar Johnsen