Ditheist Cosmic Liar Review
Ditheist
Cosmic Liar
Self-released
2026
Ahhhh, the Windy City. The Second City, if you prefer. Home to DA BEARS, deep-dish pizza (which is awesome, and I'll die on that hill), Al’s Italian beef sandwiches, and CM Punk. I'm, of course, referring to Chicago. This Midwestern metropolis is also home to a legendary music scene that covers everything from punk to alternative and, of course, metal. For the purposes of this writing, though, we're going full tilt into the city’s death metal. I mean, Usurper, Cianide, Oppressor, Broken Hope, friggin’ Macabre, they all started here. So did such new and notable acts like Molder, Gored Embrace, and Embryonic Autopsy (more on them later). That brings me to Ditheist, who has triumphantly returned from a decade-long absence with the DIY-released Cosmic Liar.
Ditheist have been around since 2006, with their last album being The Eternity of Nothingness in 2015. I can only assume that life and other factors kept the band on ice until now. It would seem the time away served them well, and what we are greeted with is eight songs of direct, blasphemic, and tight, well-produced/well-played old-school-inspired brutal death metal. Speaking of being well produced, the whole shebang was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Chris Wisco at Belle City Sound, Racine, WI, with album production by Chris Wisco/Konrad Lysak. The guitars and bass are properly low-tuned and beefy, with just enough bite, while the vocals sit nicely and upfront, and the drums provide the backdrop. Nothing here is overly loud or stepping on anything else, and it's all audible and discernible. It seems the production does have a bit of a modern touch, but it isn't a lifeless, non-organic sound. I love when I can hear that there are real amps and real drum sounds, definitely a rarity in today's climate.
Vocally, the band have Matt “Chesterfields” Wright, and he has a delivery not unlike prime Dave Vincent (Morbid Angel) and Peter from Vader. By that, I mean his growls are more mid-range instead of low and guttural. He is also perfectly understandable, so that only adds to the already super-clean sounds here. Make no mistake, though—he can get properly low here as well, and the refrain of “Evil to Live” in the song of the same name (“Evil to Live”) is properly menacing amid its mid-tempo march. Rounding out the lineup are founding members Konrad Lysak—guitar, lyrics; Brian Frost—guitar, bass; and Narcyz Fortuna—drums. All three are capable and well-seasoned on their individual instruments. Ditheist’s sound is never overtly “tech” or greatly simplified, but sort of bridges the gap between the two, with blasted sections, slower plod, and busy riffing. Notable highlights are the sacrilege/ramming speed of opener “Cosmic Liar” and the Middle Eastern main riff-inspired “Nyarlathotep,” which includes a blazing guest guitar solo from Convent Ov Torture’s Brian Daniel. Elsewhere, the maelstrom of tempo changes and menace of “Mouth of Hell” are headbangable and catchy.
Ditheist are not afraid to mix in some acoustic guitars, as well as the unusual instrumentation of an oud and an Irish low whistle here either, which gives things a bit more depth. These fellas are overall a very competent death metal band with an emphasis on song structure and catchy parts. That sounds dismissive, but it's not. What they have accomplished here is a very listenable, dare I say hooky, batch of satanic-leaning songs that is sure to please ol’ Beelzebub and his minions. Cosmic Liar will please all those who like a bit of malice and sadistic intent in their death metal. Thoroughly enjoyable, and it'll make ya feel a bit closer to that left-hand path. Hail Satan indeed….
RIYL - Atheist, Morbid Angel, Immolation, early Behemoth, Vader
~TB