Melechesh - Sphynx (CD)

Review

Main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Ashmedi masterfully and logically arranges every track on Sphynx with his ear tweaked for maximum metallic devastation, and he consistently hits the sweet spot between classic thrash and forward-thinking death-prog with every riff (no exaggeration). Every track boasts sophisticated arrangements and lyrical excursions, making it difficult to pick out highlights (again, no exaggeration), although "Annunaki's Golden Throne" and "Apkallu Counsel" are exemplary, offering dizzying, high-velocity tempos and lickety-split time changes; however, the band wields speed with a samurai-like sense of precision and grace, keeping the listener in the center of a disorienting whirlwind while maintaining a dynamic sense of melody within compellingly complex arrangements. - All Music 5/5