brutal death metal – Page 24

Display of Decay – Dust of Existence (Review)

Dust of Decay are a Canadian Death Metal band and this is their second album.

This is Brutal Death Metal that wastes no time on pointless intros or messing around; the album starts with a bang and is all about the aggression and violence.

Display of Decay’s brand of brutality involves nods towards the Old-School as well as worshipping at the more timeless brand of thick, groove-laden Death Metal skullduggery so beloved of bands like Deeds of Flesh, Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation.

The album has a good production; it’s raw and dry enough to fit nicely in with the underground, but strong and focused enough to have a powerful presence. I love the sound of the bass too; scratchy and omnipresent without being overpowering. It’s as if it’s saying “Yes, I’m here. I’ll be the end of you, too”.

There’s a good combination of blasting, mid-paced groove and slower sections that have a definite Doom vibe to them, akin to bands like Incantation, Zombiefication and Hooded Menace. The songs are well-written and there are plenty of decent riffs hanging around, like torture implements waiting to be used.

Dust of Existence is a really enjoyable Death Metal album that succeeds in avoiding being a faceless drone in a sea of similar bands and instead has a personality and character that’s very pleasing to see.

Blow the dust away and crank out Display of Decay at full volume.

Visceral Throne – Those Who Have Fallen Beyond the Grace of God (Review)

Visceral Throne are a Death Metal band from the US. This is their second release.

The band play Brutal Death Metal, for fans of bands such as Defeated Sanity, Internal Bleeding, Suffocation, Visceral Bleeding, Birth Through Gore, Abnormality, etc.

This latest EP features 5 tracks, three of which are original songs, one is an intro and the last is a cover of an Internal Suffering track. At 14 minutes in length it’s short, but who needs it to be any longer when it’s this ripping and slamming and blasting and stuff?

The songs get in, do their damage, and then get out; quick, clean and efficient. There are quite a few meaty chops to go around and the guitarist seems to know his stuff. The bass sound warms my heart too, as it’s always nice to hear this oft-neglected instrument. Little spikes of melody do appear here and there, but these are very few and far between.

The singer’s brutal growling is quite daemonic and inhuman, exactly as we would expect from a band like this. He’s clearly had plenty of practice, and it shows.

This is a good introduction to a band I didn’t know before. It’s a small-but-satisfying release that showcases a Brutal Death Metal band who play the classic American style well.

Check them out.

Nile – What Should Not Be Unearthed (Review)

Nile are a US Death Metal band and this is their eighth album.

As pretty much anyone into Death Metal knows of Nile by now, they’re a band who need little introduction. Their Egyptian-themed Brutal/Technical Death Metal set them out as special and talented very early on, propelling them to the upper echelons of the Death Metal hierarchy quite quickly.

Nile’s formula for brutality remains intact – whirlwind riffing, driving drums, fast-paced growls, complicated melodies, etc. All of which still doesn’t stop them from being surprisingly catchy and memorable, despite the extremity that they display.

What Should Not Be Unearthed is Nile being as Brutal as they know how to be. This doesn’t necessarily mean complete crazy technicality all the time, as they settle into a nicely simple riff on occasion and just plain hammer the nails into the sarcophagus with it. Having said that of course, the bulk of the material on this album is fast, complex and bewildering in its ferocity and violence.

One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about Nile is their ability to combine head-spinning technicality with esoteric melodies and memorable refrains. This impressive ability is alive and well on these new songs. The Egyptian influences, both in the lyrics and music, are still present and correct too, with tracks like In the Name of Amun in particular sealing that atmosphere in.

As you know, I always love a good solo and there are some blistering ones here. The ultra-musicianship on display on this release is as jaw-dropping as to be expected from a band of this calibre, but they never let this get in the way of a good song.

Although it’s unlikely they will ever top their early albums and the impact that they had on the Death Metal scene, this doesn’t preclude What Should Not Be Unearthed from being a very strong Nile album. It’s always good to hear new Nile stuff, and this new release is a solid 50 minutes of Death Metal.

Hell, that doesn’t do it justice really. Nile have raised the bar so high in the past that while it may be true that compared to their illustrious back catalogue this is ‘merely’ a very good album, when compared to the vast majority of bands out there Nile are still head and shoulders above most of the competition.

It’s Nile. Just go and get it.

Abhorrent Deformity – Entity of Malevolence (Review)

This is the début album from US Brutal Death Metal band Abhorrent Deformity.

With an album cover that lets you know exactly what the band are going to sound like, Abhorrent Deformity proceed to brutalise you with 35 minutes of powerful USDM for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Deeds of Flesh, Dying Fetus, Defeated Sanity, Severe Torture, etc., as well a s touch of a more modern approach to some of the riffs, somewhat akin to Molotov Solution.

Savagely deep grunts are unrelenting in their vocal attack. The singer has a classic Deathgrowl that’s quite satisfying and utterly guttural, (say that five times fast).

Entity of Malevolence is ugly, brutal, full of blast beats and has just enough chug-and-squeal to be pleasing without getting boring. I imagine that some may have had their fill of this style and might want more from a Death Metal band in 2015, but it’s hard to complain when the band stamp a boot on your throat and knife your insides.

These songs use a good combination of speed and heaviness with which to beat the listener into submission. It’s music that’s not for everyone by any means, but then Brutal Death Metal never is. If you favour the style though, Abhorrent Entity play it with a purity and honesty that I haven’t heard in quite a while.

Definitely one for all fans of brutality, everywhere.

Barrows – Swine Race (Review)

Barrows are a Canadian Grindcore band and this is their début album.

This is sophisticated-yet-ugly Grindcore that’s added to and fleshed out by Brutal Death Metal elements, resulting in savage Deathgrind the likes of which will be too extreme for most.

The songs combine rhythmic, pulsing mayhem with blasting carnage and insane guitar torture. There actually is occasional melody involved in their assault too, albeit of a twisted, warped variety.

There’s a lot going on in these songs as the band chug, Grind, blast, groove and rip their way through the 29 minutes on this album with vicious glee and crazed enthusiasm. It’s all about the brutality, but with a surprisingly varied attack. The point is, Barrows are a multi-dimensional band with many different facets to their offensive rather than just playing ferociously fast.

The vocals are a fierce collection of grunts, screams and pig-noises that are enough to scare away all but the most hardened of Extreme Metal fans. The singer’s performance is not to be faulted and he frequently sounds like about 100 maniacs all at the same time, which is no mean feat.

Sort of like a cross between Cattle Decapitation, Pig Destroyer and Circle of Dead Children; Barrows have produced quite a stunner of an album, which is up there with the latest Maruta release as a prime example of quality Deathgrind.

Essential listening for all fans of Grindcore extremity.

Antropofago – Æra Dementiæ (Review)

Antropofago are a French Death Metal band and this is their second album.

Antropofago’s latest release is based around the concept of dementia and is a mixture of brutality and technicality.

The Brutal Death Metal influences propel the band’s carnage forward effortlessly while their Technical Death Metal side allows them to experiment with all manner of interesting ideas. The two warring sides complement and rein each other in so that the songs don’t go too much in ether direction.

It’s also important to note that the songs are, in fact, actually songs. A lot of Death Metal has a tendency to focus on the individual riffs or sections of a track with only a superficial regard for the song as a whole. Antropofago take a holistic view of the tracks and each song is recognisable as such. The album benefits from this consistency of vision and the tracks on Æra Dementiæ are memorable, surprisingly catchy and actually individually identifiable as distinct entities.

The band have a decent heavy sound that complements their style. The groovy bits sound meaty, the fast bits sound unstoppable and the technical wizardry and lightning melodics sound hot enough to burn. The bass is just audible enough to make an impression and the drums are crazily inhuman on occasion.

The singer has a classic Death Metal growl that seems to suck all of the air out of the room.

Antropofago have unleashed a very strong album on the world. This is some quality Death Metal that combines songs, brutality and depth into an appealing package. In a world of disposable music this one has some longevity to it.

Highly recommended.

Intravenous Contamination – Drowned in Human Fluids (Review)

This is the début album from German Brutal Death Metal band Intravenous Contamination.

Intravenous Contamination play USDM/Slam style Death Metal with plenty of chug, groove and blast.

The vocals are guttural pigsqueals that are as inhuman as any in the genre. The singer has a voice that’s as brutal as the music and she sounds utterly deranged.

The songs are the equivalent of boulders dropping form the side of a mountain. Unsubtle, blunt-edged and dangerous to get in front of.

The recording is dense and thick, layered with violence and ill-intent. This gives the songs a squirming, alien feeling that makes their aggressive assault all the more effective in some ways, but curiously muted in others.

Heavy riffs abound and there are no flashes of colour or melody. Everything is blood-red and determined to cause maximum damage.

This is one for hardened Death Metal fans who only care about the ugliest music. Brutal carnage and bloody rage resides within. Dare you listen?

Favourite Track: Carnal Incitement.

Macabre Demise – Homicidal Parasites (Review)

Macabre Demise is a solo Brutal Death Metal project from Germany and this is his second album.

This is just over 26 minutes of chug-friendly Brutal Death Metal that’s guaranteed to get the blood pumping and the head moving.

There’s a good mix of blast beats and slower/mid-paced heaviness on Homicidal Parasites. It’s a mix of the USDM and Slam styles, touched up with a bit more of a European feeling in places.

The songs don’t shy away from a bit of melody when needed, which is a nice thing to hear. It’s not a common part of Macabre Demise’s sound, as the songs largely opt for a more direct, brutal, chugging assault, but it’s an added facet to their sound on occasion.

There’s a lot of mosh-friendly sections that are bouncy and groovy. The tracks specialise in aggressive destruction that’s strangely accessible for a band of this style.

The vocals sound like someone wiping the floor with the Cookie Monster. Deep growling is complemented by higher screams when necessary to add that extra bite.

The production is decent and the album benefits from a good recording. It sounds, and I believe this is the technical term, PHAT. Or something. In any event, it’s a very satisfying sound that the songs make the most of.

So, quality Death Metal from this German outfit. Me like.

Bowel Stew – Debridement (Review)

Bowel Stew are an Italian Brutal Death Metal band. This is their third album.

Bowel Stew like their gore and their buckets of blood. But what they really like, of course, is huge helpings of Brutal Death Metal.

Across these 25 minutes, the band give us nine tracks of unrelenting brutality, including a Brodequin cover.

This is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for fans of pretty, polished Death Metal. This is as underground as it gets and Bowel Stew are interested in impressing no-one but themselves with their butchery.

The vocals are so low as to be almost inaudible. Almost. What we actually get is a voice that growls like an oncoming storm rumbles in the background. It’s inhuman and menacing.

The music is a murky and impenetrable mix of fast guitars and metronomic drums. There’s little in the way of songs here. Instead, Bowel Stew are essentially being as brutal as they can for the love of it. This is just a couple of steps away from completely unhinged Grindcore, and it’s only an undercurrent of Death Metal structuring that prevents this from happening.

This kind of ugly, atavistic Brutal Death Metal will appeal only to a small subset of a small sub-genre of a small genre, etc., but if you do want a fix of no-questions-asked raw barbarity and carnage then I would suggest you check them out, as Debridement is not without its gory charms.

Kronos – Arisen New Era (Review)

Kronos are a French Death Metal band and this is their fourth album.

I’ve heard enough French Death Metal by now to expect good things from bands who are from there, and Kronos don’t disappoint.

This is Brutal Death Metal that wastes no time in crashing into your life as soon as you press play, ready to take over and ruin everything with its aural destruction.

This is precise, modern and professionally executed Death Metal. The band have a top quality production and everything sounds razor sharp, massively in-your-face and as deeply satisfying as only Death Metal can be sometimes.

Crisp solos, hyperspeed riffs, rhythmic guitars and pummelling licks all rage and tear their way through the 37 minutes of music. As undeniably impressive as everything guitar-oriented is on this release, the rest of the instruments are equally important, with the drums in particular sounding especially nicely done.

The vocals are impenetrably deep deathgrunts that are as impeccably delivered as the rest of the musical onslaught.

I love this kind of Death Metal, I can’t deny it. It has enough modern verve to be cutting edge but enough components of Classic Death Metal to have longevity and depth. Couple that with the insane blasting brutality that the band do so well and I’m sold completely.

A Brutal Death Metal masterclass.