This is the second album from Spanish death metallers Opposer.
This is old-school death metal with an equally old-school thrash influence. A mix of Obituary, Death, Bolt Thrower, and Sepultura, if you will. Continue reading “Opposer – Darkest Path (Review)”
Warcrab are a death/sludge band from the UK and this is their second album.
There aren’t too many bands that mix death and sludge metal together, but those that do tend to be pretty notable. The Dead and Tides of Sulfur are two that spring instantly to mind. I can now add Warcrab to this short list too. Continue reading “Warcrab – Scars of Aeons (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Killing Addiction, a death metal band from the US.
Having enjoyed their short-yet-brutal 2014 EP When Death Becomes an Art, it’s good to hear some new material from these veterans.
This EP is 15 minutes of classic, 90s-styled Continue reading “Killing Addiction – Shores of Oblivion (Review)”
This is the debut album from this US death metal band.
Gatecreeper play old-school death metal with an authentic and passionate delivery. It’s heavy, with a crushing atmosphere and songs that are more memorable than they probably have a right to be. Continue reading “Gatecreeper – Sonoran Depravation (Review)”
Echelon are an international death metal supergroup. This is their second album.
With a lineup that contains a huge amount of experience; like the recently released Stench Price, (which shares personnel), I’m just going to list the various members below from the press blurb for ease of clarity –
Dave Ingram (Hail of Bullets, ex-Bolt Thrower, ex-Benediction)
Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Demiurg, Putrevore)
Johan Berglund (Ribspreader, The Grotesquery)
Kjetil Lynghaug (Johansson & Speckmann, Paganizer)
Travis Ruvo (Akatharta, Cropsy Maniac)
As you can see. These guys know a thing or two about death metal. Continue reading “Echelon – The Brimstone Aggrandizement (Review)”
Stench Price are a grindcore supergroup and this is their debut release.
There’s a bewildering array of talent and people involved in this, so I’m simply going to copy and paste the lineup from the press blurb to make things easier for myself –
France – Romain Goulon – Drums (Necrophagist, Disavowed, etc.)
Siberia – Peter Shallmin – Bass (Escapethecult, Kamlath)
Siberia – Max Konstantinov – Guitars (Kamlath, Nebesniesnami)
USA – Danny Lilker (Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault, SOD, etc.)
Sweden – Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Demiurg, etc.)
USA – Max Phelps (Cynic, Death DTA Tours, Exist)
UK – Dave Ingram (Hail of Bullets, Benediction, Bolt Thrower, etc.)
Australia – Karina Utomo (High Tension)
USA – Shawn Knight (Child Bite) Continue reading “Stench Price – Self Titled (Review)”
This is the début album from US death metal band Witch Vomit.
This is 31 minutes of old-school death metal that sounds as if it was torn straight out of the 90s.
Witch Vomit take the Swedish death metal sound and add Continue reading “Witch Vomit – A Scream from the Tomb Below (Review)”
This is the début album from Norwegian Death Metal band Killing for Company.
Killing for Company’s music seems like it has congealed from a pool of blood that’s seeped out of the corpse of old-school Death Metal. To get an idea of the band’s sound, think Bolt Thrower and Autopsy; mix this with a bit of, (old), Hypocrisy and then add in some atmosphere and coloured melody. Continue reading “Killing for Company – House of Hades (Review)”
This is the second album from Funeral Whore, who are a Death Metal band from The Netherlands.
We have briefly met Funeral Whore before, during their very tasty split with Obscure Infinity – Summon the Undead.
Funeral Whore play old-school Death Metal that reeks of the crypt and lands somewhere between Incantation, Bolt Thrower and Dismember in style.
As on their split with Obscure Infinity, Funeral Whore are, (deliberately), rough around the edges, lending their music a real underground feeling.
Heavy riffs and hammering drums crush and destroy while deep, gruff vocals belch out obscenities. The songs drip with old-school malevolence, sinister leads and dark melodies.
It’s easy to enjoy this kind of atavistic Death Metal, especially when it’s written with songs and mood in mind as these tracks clearly are. Funeral Whore know what they’re doing, it seems.
If you have any love for the old-school style of Death Metal then it’s worth checking out Funeral Whore as Phantasm is a very satisfying listen.
This is the third album from Purtenance, who are a Finnish Death Metal band.
Purtenance play old-school Death Metal that’s so ancient that as you sit listening to it in whatever dank crypt you chanced upon it in, it starts noticeably getting darker and as the crypt doors start creaking, you’re convinced all manner of shambling horrors are descending on your position. You’re probably right.
From the very first riff, this album has instant charisma and it’s extremely hard not to like its rotten charms. The band wear their influences on their sleeves and if you’re a fan of bands like Bolt Thrower, Incantation and Autopsy, you won’t go far wrong here. However, given that their first album was released in 1992, Purtenance know a little bit about the old-school and …To Spread the Flame of Ancients is as honest and authentic as it gets.
The singer has one of the best Death Metal voices I’ve heard in a while for this style. It’s an absolutely huge and pitch black growl that seems to come from the depths of The Pit. Sooooo good.
The songs are well-written, quality beasts, evoking just the right amounts of rot and power at the same time. Unlike a lot of old-school-themed bands, they also throw in a few unusual riffs and ideas here and there, as well as some dark melodies, faster sections and blast beats; all too often neglected in a sub-genre where mid-paced seems to rule the roost. Due to this, there’s a lot of differentiation between tracks on this album and it’s easy to not only tell them apart but to also have them slot nicely next to each other, making for an album you can enjoy either in bite-size, (bloody), chunks or holistically in one sitting. A worthy achievement.
An extremely enjoyable and satisfying 46 minutes. Purtenance have released an album of character and quality, one that I can heartily recommend.
Wonderbox Metal 