Album Review: Unholy Rapture

Formed in 2017 and based in Wellington, Dark Divinity might be a name you’re familiar with if you’re a Death Metal genre fan, or maybe even if you’re familiar with the local Wellington Metal scene in general. If not, then sit tight, you’re about to experience one hell of a journey.

With 4 singles and an EP under their belt, Unholy Rapture is their debut album and it’s a force to be reckoned with.

Dark Divinity have a brutal yet melodic sound that captivates and annihilates the senses.

With 10 tracks of frenzied and chaotic vocals – deep guttural tones yet balanced with tight, carefully crafted riffs and melodic overtones; Unholy Rapture is an album that feels like an awakening of the senses.

If you’re new to the genre, don’t let its perceived aggressiveness deter you. There is so much talent to behold in this genre and this album. Vocalist Jesse Wheeler has phenomenal depth and range of his screams, equally so from percussion and strings, courtesy of Ian Moir (drums), Paul Stewart (guitar, bass) and Jiji Aligno (lead guitar) respectively.

The seamless intertwining of Death and Black Metal throughout come hard and fast but what sets Unholy Rapture and indeed Dark Divinity apart is how innovative and different it feels. This is not a re-hashing of genres but a band that is striving to make their own mould and doing it well.

Fourth track in, The Seer is definitely a favourite and a great example of this intertwining. With progressively dominate Black Metal riffs forging the way to some solid Death Metal vocals, it is engaging and solid.

Outstanding debut from Dark Divinity and I’m excited to see what comes next for them.