Withering Soul – Passage of the Arcane

One Listen Review

1st Listen 13 Nov 25
Reviewed 17 Nov 25

Liminal Dread Productions

Released 14 Nov 25

Passage of the Arcane is the 5^th album by Chicago blackened death metal stalwarts Withering Soul, and it is a very welcome return indeed. Never a prolific band, the ‘Last Contact’ the band made with us was a long 4 years ago – see what I did there?

What awaits you in the 8 track (well, 7-tracks proper) 41 minute long album is unrelenting aggression, big riffs and a throat shredding vocal grunt. Passage of the Arcane is a well-constructed album. It opens with a [pointless] instrumental. Anyone who has read my reviews over at Metal Epidemic will know I am not a fan of these intros – but, I thought, let’s see what the rest of the album brings.

Throughout the album, Withering Soul blend black metal with death metal with unfettered ease. ‘The Monolith Embodied’ epitomises this, fast

and furious, it gets the head nodding, the feet tapping. It is invasive, and yet strangely accessible, with a delicious bass driving the track with drumming that can only be described as ‘mental’.

Other tracks feature a persistent style of riff. ‘Among Covetous Eyes’ starts with the riff that is insistent and visceral, but the track expands into bedlam. But it doesn’t end there – it ebbs and flows, lurches and sways, all the while delivering an eviscerating experience. Enjoyable stuff.

Embedded in the tracks are well-placed solos. This allows a little bit of breathing space in what an intensely enjoyable listen. Withering Soul appear to have found their sound in recent times.

This makes this a must listen.