BURIAL IN THE SKY The Consumed Self

Philadelphia‑based progressive death metal outfit Burial In The Sky showed plenty of promise on their first two full‑length albums, but they hadn’t quite reached their full potential. Their third release, The Consumed Self, is a different story entirely. This time, the band delivers an album that feels sharper, more confident, and far more fully realized.

The production is a major leap forward, clean, powerful, and professional, allowing the band’s intricate arrangements and technical prowess to shine. Musically, The Consumed Self offers everything you’d expect from a progressive death metal record: complex structures, virtuosic performances, blistering riffs and drumming, and atmospheric passages that open into strikingly melodic lead sections.

What truly sets the album apart, though, is the band’s willingness to expand their sonic palette. Saxophone appears frequently in lead and harmony roles, adding an unexpected but highly effective layer to the sound. Listen closely and you’ll also catch touches of mandolin, accordion, and more traditional keyboard textures woven subtly into the mix.

Vocally, the album spans a wide range of extreme styles. While Jorel Hart explores both high and low registers, I personally find his deeper growls the most compelling, though that ultimately comes down to taste.

One of the album’s biggest strengths is its pacing. Many records front‑load their strongest material, leaving the latter half to sag under the weight of filler. The Consumed Self does the opposite: the second half is even stronger than the first, and there isn’t a weak track in sight. Highlights include the majestic “Mountains Pt. 1” and “Mountains Pt. 2,” which blend technical death metal with lush, Pink Floyd‑esque passages, and the sprawling 12‑minute closer “Anatomy of Us,” an ambitious finale to an already impressive album.

I love this record from beginning to end. The Consumed Self is Burial In The Sky’s finest work to date and a standout release within the progressive death metal landscape. Highly recommended.

Discography;

The Consumed Self (2021)

Creatio Et Hominus (2018)

Persistence Of Thought (2016)