Wharflurch – Psychedelic Realms ov Hell (Review)

This is the debut album from US death metal band Wharflurch.

Across six tracks and 35 minutes, Wharflurch deliver a doom-infested slab of malformed, rancid death metal.

Wharflurch’s death metal contains an experimental edge that’s been dulled by humid rot, but is no less striking and potent for it. Synth enhancements run riot, while psychedelic highlights gallop through the gloomy music. This is old-school death played with a personality and character that’s quite individual.

For a rough idea of the Wharflurch experience, first imagine a mix of bands like Autopsy, Avulsed, Tomb Mold, and Ossuarium. Then add the aforementioned synths and psychedelia. Finally, coat everything in a slime-ridden sheen of humidity and fecund putridity, and you’ll be on the right lines.

Brutal and disgusting, but also surprisingly atmospheric in places, Wharflurch have some exotic tools in their toolbox. The standard, recognisable old-school elements of death metal are present and correct, but so are some distinctly non-standard ones that you’d usually be more likely to encounter on a progressive metal album, (for example). All of the Wharflurch ingredients are skilfully blended together and combined with strong songwriting to craft music that has a lot to enjoy and savour.

This is high quality old-school death metal, but an unusual strain of it. It has enough familiarity to appeal to the usual fans of the genre, yet it also walks its own path within this. This means that those who are jaded by the style may find that Wharflurch’s sound grabs them whereas others might not.

Wharflurch have successfully drained a particularly unpleasant and swampy section of the death metal underground all for themselves. They now call it their own and are busy breeding their own brand of horrific foulness. Psychedelic Realms ov Hell is an apt title for this record, and it’s a very strong first album for the band.

Very highly recommended.