In the Global Metal Scene, Rising Stars Fleshless Entity Unleash Their Debut Album ‘Unborn Rising’
From every corner of the world, Extreme Metal bands emerge with a surplus of quality matching their musical propositions. Today, we turn our attention to “The Little Thumb of America,” El Salvador, where a band is brewing up a healthy dose of Intense Metal. They are Fleshless Entity, and they present their first full-length album titled “Unborn Rising,” packed with the distinct character and qualities of this Salvadoran ensemble.
Before delving into the details of this debut album, let’s get acquainted with the history of Fleshless Entity. The band was formed in 2015, sparked by Erlin de La O on guitars (who is also a part of the Salvadoran band Kab’brakan) and Juan Chacón on drums. Stepping along the lines of Death and Black Metal genres, they decided to form the band in collaboration with other musicians. By the end of that year, they made their international debut in neighboring Guatemala at the CORRUPTION METAL FEST, sharing the stage with bands from the Central American region. They were sponsored on this occasion by the legendary American Death Metal band, Possessed. The acceptance and enthusiasm from the audience were remarkable, foreshadowing that Fleshless Entity possessed the essence and aptitude for Extreme Metal, despite being a new project in the Central American region.
By January of the following year, the band entered the private Soundtrack Studios to record their first EP titled “Nihility Servants,” consisting of five studio tracks and one recorded live. The album’s artwork was created in California, with the booklet designed by Daniel Velado, who was the band’s bassist. This marked a firm first step towards what would come next. In 2018, the band confirmed their first performance outside of Central America at the Cuban festival “PATRIA GRANDE,” in its first edition dedicated exclusively to the Metal genre. During this festival, they performed in five dates across different locations, featuring several sister bands from various countries. With the intention of presenting new material, the band began composing and recording what would become their second EP, titled “Effigy Of Sin.” This earned them the opening slot for the renowned and legendary bands Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death in El Salvador. On that very day, they seized the stage to shoot the first promotional video for this EP, featuring the track “Tiamat,” which garnered excellent reviews and accumulated over fifty thousand views on social media and video platforms.
And now, we arrive at their debut album, “Unborn Rising,” which commenced recording in March of the previous year. Once again, Mr. De La O was in charge of recording and mixing the album in his production and recording studio, while mastering was carried out by Julio Rodas of Soundtrack Studios. The album’s artwork was crafted by Federico Bossinga of Abstract Chaos Design from Argentina, including the band’s new logo and various lyric videos. This graphic team has previously worked for bands like Dark Funeral, Dimmu Borgir, Carnal Forge, and Eleine. This full-length album hit the market three weeks ago, available in both digital and physical formats.
The composition of “Unborn Rising,” both in lyrics and music, seeks to portray common sense in the face of criticism towards religion and its various forms of manipulation, to which the world has been subjected for a long time. It also delves into the worship of different mystical entities and the origin of creation by extraterrestrial beings. The album is inspired by irritation, distrust, and imagination. They are backed by the record label Nebula Forest Productions for promotion and distribution.
The current members of Fleshless Entity are: Erlin De La O on lead guitar, Alonso Ramos on vocals, Rey Hernández on bass, Gustavo Salazar on rhythm guitar, and Juan Chacón on drums. Now, let’s immerse ourselves in ten songs that are pure dynamite in every aspect. We kick off with “Silence,” a nearly three-minute eerie intro steeped in malevolence in its notes, accompanied by lugubrious choruses, setting the perfect tone for the start. Next is “Isolate” , where the vocals of Mr. Ramos herald a burst of pure Extreme Metal energy. The track unfolds with short riffs intertwined with longer ones, while Mr. Chacón’s percussions astutely accommodate the entire string spectacle, giving it a vile and malignant tone. Fleshless Entity is here to showcase their sonorous weight with a quality of good repute. The visual aspect, including the lyrical content as mentioned earlier, was crafted by Abstract Chaos Design.
As for “Testimony Of The Lambs” https://youtu.be/Di4OyQAfYKc, the track brushes against Doom tones blended with prime Black Metal. This cut disarms and forges the band’s identity, thanks to the prowess of Mr. De La O and Mr. Salazar on the strings. Whether in unison or while delivering their respective solos, they don’t require speed to hit with precision. Once again, the visual artistry is the work of the Argentine company mentioned earlier. “Third Degree” offers a dose of Death Black Metal throughout its duration. The string riffs are overwhelming, punctuated by precise pauses to relish the low bass notes played by Mr. Hernández, strategically inserted within the measures if one pays attention.
With “Gëlt,” vehemence and exaltation flow unobstructed in the artistic performance of the Salvadoran band. The applied metrics are precise, and the chords land punctually, creating the impression that crafting Extreme Metal is simple. However, it’s elemental and evident that they contain all the necessary elements: intensity, as well as being excessive and intense, like the solo-like riff that culminates in the hands of Mr. De La O. The acoustic song “Oblivion” consists of the guitar and its interpreter, ascending and descending at will, creating a sense of tranquility while still harboring a certain restlessness that persists even in the final note.
With “Raudskinna,” excellence is undeniable for Fleshless Entity. Exaltation resonates in every chord, perfectly in harmony. Mr. Chacón’s percussions allow even the simplest cymbal strike to be enjoyed, coupled with Mr. Hernández’s intense intervention on the bass at a strategic moment. “Summa Blasphemia” reveals its charm within the genre, presenting highly skillful tonalities that encompass the entire orchestration. This track is one of my favorites. In “Seven,” the penultimate track, stormy riffs are imbued with courage and vehemence. It’s impossible to finish this track, and indeed the entire album, without experiencing a certain neck strain due to the intensity. Nonetheless, it’s fully enjoyable, even as the instruments fade at the end to give way to keyboard sounds.
The final track, “Innocentia Nihil Probat” https://youtu.be/NDTQEZ1WteY, draws inspiration from a passage in the Book of Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” This track closes the album, and while its foundations might be offensive to some congregations, such messages are not new to Metal artistry. The incoherence and absurdity will depend on the principles each individual chooses to apply. The video for this cut, the final one on the album, might be dissonant for some due to its imagery or gestures, but its message is clear in its dedication to the souls that suffered from ecclesiastical tyranny and the predation of innocence. The visual aspect was created by the Salvadoran company Hipérbole.
For messages like this and others, Heavy Metal is considered the “Bastard Child of Music.” Those who don’t embrace this kind of content can simply choose not to watch or listen. However, the interplay of guitar strings is pure Death Black Metal, and the resonance holds an intrinsic vibration of the genre. Mr. Ramos’s vocals are eminent and cap off this debut album perfectly, presenting a band that unequivocally manifests their essence and causes.
“Unborn Rising” is an album that seeks to convey the sensations and perceptions of humanity’s stoic existence, all the while addressing the boundaries encompassing life and death. It incorporates subtleties and nuances of idolatry, irreligiosity, or heresy, as well as all that they abhor in terms of dogmas or doctrines, coupled with inappropriate partisans in their actions. These are the reasons and foundations that Fleshless Entity aims to convey with a more modern, fresh, and above all, forceful sound within the realm of Blackened Death Metal, as they define and frame it. The band’s maturity has begun, without restrictions or prohibitive chords on their instruments. Fleshless Entity intends to be the substance or essence that arises from their Extreme Metal, without the need to possess “a fleshless entity,” to cause an “uprising” that is beginning to take shape. This idea has always been present in our human community; it just needs to be expressed by someone in some form.
