NEPHYLIM Severance Of Serenity

Nephylim is a five‑piece melodic death metal outfit from the Netherlands, formed in 2015. After a handful of line‑up changes, the band has now completed its debut full‑length, Severance of Serenity. Their stated ambition is to craft Scandinavian‑inspired melodic death metal infused with touches of black and doom metal, and their press material cites Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum and Be’lakor as key influences. It’s hardly the most groundbreaking formula on paper, yet Severance of Serenity still made an immediate impression, largely thanks to the strength of the songwriting and the care put into the arrangements.

The album offers a varied palette: from driving, riff‑heavy uptempo passages to mid‑tempo atmospheric sections coloured by hints of blackened melody and doom‑laden weight, even branching out into acoustic textures when needed. Vocally, the band leans toward deep growls rather than higher‑pitched screams, which suits the material well and is, for my taste, always a welcome choice.

I’m not entirely convinced by the production, particularly the drum sound. It’s by no means poor, but there is room for refinement, and I occasionally noticed some low‑end rumble. To be fair, this review was conducted using neutral, transparent studio monitors, so these issues may be less pronounced on home speakers or headphones.

That said, none of these minor production quibbles should deter anyone from giving Severance of Serenity a proper listen. For a self‑released debut, it is a remarkably strong statement, and the quality of the compositions more than compensates for its sonic imperfections. A highly promising first chapter, and highly recommended.

Discography

Severance Of Serenity (2020)