- https://enigmatus.bandcamp.com/
- Release Date: 01/31/2025
- Engineered and mixed by Ezra Blumfield
- Tags: sludge metal, extreme metal, doom metal, downtuned metal, stoner metal, minnesota,
Setup
Matt Schrampfer, bassist of local death metal killers, Begravement, started posting about the launch of this band last year. He tossed up some quick phone vids of riffs and such he was working on for the band and I was immediately hooked. If you aren’t familiar with Begravement, you need to be. Extremely talented pack of metalheads in that band, Matt being one of them.
Not sure if the low and slow, doom/stoner/sludge thing is more near and dear to Matt’s heart than death metal, but he really shines in Enigmatus. He managed to grab Kyler Zachman, a very talented drummer I’ve seen in multiple local bands, and bass playing psychopath Ben Mallonee to round out this group. I always bristle at the term “super group” like having musicians from other bands suddenly makes a new band more legit or “super” compared to others. But, Enigmatus could fit under that label.
Fresh Meat
One thing I love about metal music is the limitless parameters. From 25-second grind core blasts to 25-minute subterranean drone rumbles, song length is whatever the artist chooses. So, when you hear Enigmatus released a 2-song demo, you might think it’s in the 5-7 minutes of material range.
But – this is doom!
The first track, An Entropic Serenade, lumbers out of the gate like newborn monster trying to get its feet under it. Over the next 12:45 we get a feel for just what Enigmatus is all about. Elements of Sleep, Black Sabbath, Clutch, Crowbar and others in that vein are evident. Matt’s Orange amp driven guitar tone is thick and massive. It blends perfectly with Ben’s swollen bass tone in places, then the two become very distinct when the song calls for it. Kyler’s drumming is crisp, precise and locked in.
Next up is The Forest Hollows, my personal favorite. This one is more experimental than the opener with out-of-the-ordinary beats, sudden tempo changes, and a lot more catchy riffage. Matt’s vocals weave back and forth between clean, old school stoner doom and shrieking black/death metal. He doesn’t do this to show off his impressive vocal talent, but more so to give voice to the music. More often than not when this 7 minute and 35 second song ends, I find parts of it replaying in my head until I re-listen or turn on something else. For me, that’s a sign of good music.
The Kill
Caught these guys at Sinkfest a few weeks back and their wider catalog of songs builds on this demo. They had the stage presence you would expect from experienced musicians and the massive wall of sound they created was everything a doom/stoner/sludge fan could want.
For those who live for the negatives: This is a demo, warts and all. As with most demos, it’s a starting point – you have to start somewhere. It’s also only 2 songs, so it’s hard to get a full feel for what Enigmatus has to offer if the demo is all you have to go on. With that being said, it might not be the best doom release of 2025, as some parts of the opener drag a bit and some riffs fade from memory quickly. But, what it does do is give notice these guys mean business and have gobs of potential.
Final Thoughts
If Enigmatus brings their obvious passion, talent and skill to bear, their next release should catapult them into the ranks of killer doom metal.