Necropoli are from Italy and play Funeral Doom. This is their début album.
This is heavy Funeral Doom Metal with a strong Death Metal foundation underpinning everything.
There is background orchestration, keyboards and effects; these are not flowery or ostentations but rather eerie and aura-enhancing.
The long songs slowly unfold with the heavy barrage of slowed down brutality mixing with Dark Ambient sounds and faint glimpses Industrial Electronica.
The colossally deep vocals drive everything forwards like a relentless taskmaster.
Akin to recent releases from the likes of Eye of Solitude, Doom:VS and Decembre Noir, this is just as bleakly emotive and atmospheric but with longer songs and a lot more brutality and harshness on display.
This album reminds of the constant onslaught of a band like Esoteric if they had more Funeral Doom influences and keyboards.
Rich, layered and with a definite gloomy texture, this is an evocative release that mixes the best of the crawling slowness of Doom and the heavy crushing nature of Death Metal.
Nearly an hour of demolishing desolation for your consideration.
Monumentomb have recently released their début EP Ritual Exhumation. This is a glorious Old-School Death Metal release that manages to seriously impress, especially for such a new band. I decided to get a bit more info on this rough gem…
Tell us about Monumentomb and where you came from?
We’re based in Kent in the south east of England. We formed less than a year ago, to start from the beginning: I was drinking at a metal pub in my local town of Maidstone. The Beherit shirt I was wearing prompted conversation very quickly when Alex noticed it, and we’ve been good mates since. Then after a long time later, years in fact we met again and decided to form a band with our strong agreement in musical tastes. At the same place a little later, I met Gaius while drinking at a mutual friends birthday, we got totally hammered and stayed in touch. Since Alex left the band earlier this month to concentrate on Infected Dead, Gaius has now moved over to guitar duties. I met Lee at a local gig that Alex was playing with his band Infected Dead. He heard that Lee was a decent and freed-up drummer and introduced us that night, we’ve been doing Monumentomb ever since.
What are your influences?
The primary influence is old-school death metal, I listen to a lot of 80’s metal ranging from Yngwie Malmsteen to Cacophony, Razor, Racer X, Infernal Majesty, Sacrifice etc. Bands specifically that we take a lot of influence from are Bolt Thrower, Autopsy, Grave, Dismember, Morbid Angel, Carcass, early Entombed/Obituary/Death to name a few. Our influences always have a bearing on our development as players. Lee is ever aiming to reach the same ability level as George Kollias and Gaius listens to a lot of technical metal too, which constantly fuels improvement individually, as well as overall as a band.
What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?
Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Vinnie Moore, Tony MacApline and Paul Gilbert Racer X era. Also been listening to ‘The Cleansing’ by Nominon which I highly recommend, it has a great atmosphere and production. Morbid and filthy sounding release and has to be one of their best to date. And have been re-visiting Beneath the Remains, simply, it’s an album that never leaves my CD rotation.
How did you decide on the style of Death Metal that you wanted to play – what appeals about the Death Metal sound?
I’ve always had a leaning toward the Old-School sounding bands for as long as I can remember. The feeling and readiness of the style always screamed out to me and stood out over the extremely clean sounding releases, the style always deserves preservation in my opinion. We’re not aiming to be an overly technical band, as the fundamental idea at inception was to maintain the essential feeling and simplicity of most of the old-school death metal bands. The paramount appeal to me is the sheer aggression, the riffs, imagery and relative versatility of the genre.
Non-standard for Death Metal but judged perfectly – tell us about the clean vocals in Perpetual Execution Torment
They were performed by a good mate of mine – Chris Simmons who plays in a well-known band from our area called Wretched Soul, and exceeded the intentions of that section for the track. It was an idea that formed while watching the film Reanimator, not a direct attempt to sound like a revived corpse, but to bring a bit of humanity into the lyrical content of being reanimated as slave for the sole purpose to kill, to live and die constantly in complete agony forever.
Do you have any goals for Ritual Exhumation?
At the moment, it’s a case of getting the name around and networking as much as possible. We currently have ongoing dealings with a label to release it on CD and other formats, but that’s yet to be confirmed officially. Hopefully soon!
How did the recording process go?
The EP was recorded in 5 days, so bearing that in mind it was a very focussed effort, and fortunately with a very minimal amount of set-backs. As with most sessions the drums were recorded first within 2 10 hour days, then the guitars, bass and vocals were tracked. I was overseeing and present every day of the recording process , myself and the Engineer (Graham Waller) were totally wiped-out after that one week of little sleep and relentless concentration. We took a few moments to kick-back and chill with some music, food and some funny youtube stuff. The whole thing was a learning curve, and am very pleased with the results that were achieved within the time constraints.
Is there anything on the release you’re not satisfied with?
I think anyone who says they wouldn’t change anything in hindsight is kidding themselves, to be honest. You are your own worst critic, thus naturally there will be tiny changes you would make personally, for example a particular note on a solo, or a vocal or drum pattern you think could have been performed better. Unnoticeable to anyone else who listens to it but only picked-out by yourself really. So in essence, there are one or two things I would change but fortunately we can live with them!
Do you want to discuss any of the lyrics on the album and any themes/hidden meanings/etc. that might be there?
Yeah, sure. The lyrics are very straightforward, no hidden or subliminal meanings behind them as such. They’re simply inspired by morbid horror stories/movies and matching the visual themes for us. The themes are essentially all based around necromancy and death rituals/rites with an apocalyptic goal, with narratives and side-stories in between. A lot of inspiration comes from the Necronomicon by Lovecraft and related grimoires in terms of direct literary inspiration. I’m an avid fan of 80′s horror and splatter films and comics, it’s usually easy enough to write lyrics to these themes but it’s tough to attempt a new angle when a lot of the subject matter has been broached upon before. So just sticking to familiar territory lyrically just fits and suits the sound we’re trying to achieve.
What’s your songwriting process?
Majority of the writing in the early days started as just me and Alex bouncing ideas off each other and listening to a ton of music. The writing process sped-up dramatically when Lee joined, which then transpired into just the two of us meeting-up every weekend and continually getting a better sense of how the structures should form. The latter part of the writing process is still the same to this day, and we are currently writing new material too.
How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?
In the near future, the direction intends to remain on the same plateau as the EP in terms of style, atmosphere and riffs. Still taking huge influence from classic releases and present releases too.
What does the future hold for Monumentomb?
At present, we are playing our first festival in August in the UK with Onslaught. After that, we have 2 London dates in September with Krow and October with Gravecrusher. And after that, we’re focussing on getting a full-length released and alongside that, we’re looking to and hoping to get onto a tour in the future as well. We intend to remain as an active live band as much as possible, so, touring is always at the forefront of our minds!
Usurpress are a Death Metal band from Sweden and for this split they have gone halves with International Grindcore supergroup Bent Sea.
Usurpress give us three tracks, the first of which is an intro.
The second song, A Tidal Wave of Fire, is the main meat of their split and is 7 minutes of impressive death-dealing, whilst the third is shorter but no less rabid.
The band play Crusty Swedish Death Metal with an underground swagger and a healthy groove. Rather than adopting that famous chainsaw sound though, the band have opted for a dirtier, less-produced sound. It’s raw and nasty but suits the nature of the music.
The vocals are grim growls that alternate with infected screams, as well as a bit of semi-sung spoken word.
Bent Sea are up next with 8 tracks of furious Grind.
In contrast to Usurpress’ rawness, Bent Sea have a more professional sheen, albeit one that’s still heavy and very aggressive.
Taking cues from Napalm Death, Terrorizer and Repulsion, they savagely hack their way through the songs with aplomb and violence.
That the band is comprised of seasoned veterans is never in doubt, as their mastery of the genre is apparent from the start.
Each song is expertly executed and delivered with venom and bile. I’ve always loved the singer of Aborted’s voice and to hear him on these tracks is a great pleasure.
A very enjoyable split, with the Bent Sea tracks in particular shining bright.
This is the début EP from Polish Blackened Death Metallers Morthus.
This is a 3 track EP that contains such wonders in its short playing time!
It starts with the track Torment; suitably titled, it seems to be the usual kind of perfunctory intro until it redeems itself with some actual music about halfway through. This segues into the second track Beast from the Abyss and it’s clear that although this is their first non-demo release, it’s impressively professional and has a great sound.
The band play with a Death Metal core while adding some melodic Black Metal influences to the riffs and the occasional scream that enhances the main growling vocals. Merging the two genres of Black and Death can sometimes create mixed results, but they have distilled their influences into the right measures it seems.
The guitars take the Death Metal base and throw in some tricks from both Black and Classic Heavy Metal, including some duelling guitars and some excellent leads/solos.
Stylistically they remind of Hypocrisy in the sense that they combine these three elements quite naturally and seamlessly, although it should be stressed that they don’t actually sound too much like Hypocrisy except in a very superficial way.
The third song is named In the White Wolf’s Kingdom and is another master-crafted combination of the various Metal styles. It slowly unfolds with a Blackly melodic Metal riff into a mid-paced jog before introducing faster elements. They also add additional choral elements to their repertoire and these work very well. It’s another win for Morthus who suitably demonstrate their talents on this all-too-short EP.
Morthus are a perfect example of why the Extreme Metal underground deserves so much support – there are hidden gems tucked away everywhere in plain sight, all you have to do is go looking for them and you will be rewarded.
This is an absolute top-notch release and I cannot wait until they release a full album. If it’s even half as good as this it will be better than most.
Morbidity are from Bangladesh and play Death Metal. This is their début album.
Wow! The first track Decaying Souls immediately has my attention! Only 2 minutes long; it’s an intro essentially, but a damn good one! Bleakly tuneful bass, horror-filled melodics and a creepy vibe enhanced by an ominous church bell, this is a brilliant start to the album that catches and holds the attention straight from the off.
The second track is named Incarnation of Death and picks up where the first one leaves off, introducing the more brutal side of the band. The eerie, creepy riffs are still there, they’ve just been made heavier. Holy shit this band knows how to write some good riffs.
The vocals are deep and cavernous, sounding like something inhuman that’s pulled itself up from The Pit.
The sound this album has is just amazing. It’s deep, heavy and warm. Although it’s an immensely strong sound it doesn’t come off as over-produced and still reeks of the underground and of things left to rot.
The songs are exactly that; songs. They have character and personality, with each song being memorable. There is no filler.
Revealed from Ashes has an element of Swedish Death Metal to its sound in the sense of the creepy, grave-tinged melodics and the heavily tuneful songwriting. All achieved without resorting to That Chainsaw Sound or straying too far into Sweden’s territory.
This may be Old-School Death Metal but this is one decaying cadaver that smells as fresh as the day it died. I can’t write enough good things about this album without it coming off as some form of hyperbole, but suffice to say I love this release.
Morbidity have created an outstanding slab of pure, uncompromising Death Metal. If other bands had even a pinch of their songwriting skills and sense of dynamics and pacing then the Metal scene would be an even better place than it already is.
Okay, so if there’s just one Death Metal album to get this month this is it.
Omnihility are from the US and this is their second album of Technical Death Metal.
A top quality album cover is backed up by an album capable of living up to its promise.
Winding, cavernous Death Metal unfolds at speed to create a tangled network of technical riffs, deep growls and intense drumming.
The brutality is firmly in attendance but the technical side of the band makes for sprawling, exploratory songs that expand the potential of the band and draw the listener in.
The riffs are plentiful and abundant, with many flavours to taste. The songs seem to be fashioned from complex weaving of the guitar, threaded through with highly competent drumming and seasoned with a vocalist who has just the right amount of guttural brutality in his voice.
I really enjoyed this album; the Technical meanderings and guitar wanderings combined with the fact that the band simultaneously keep an eye on the overall song structure of each track means that they capably merge impressive playing with actual songs.
This is the kind of album it takes a while to fully absorb and appreciate. So sit back, play loud, and brace yourself for the journey.
Hate Division are from Canada and this is their second album of Death Metal.
No crappy intro and no messing around; the band launch straight into a blastbeat. This is Brutal Death Metal that is played fast and loud with plenty of double bass and twisting, crunching guitars.
Slower, more melodic sections and solos make appearances also and add spice to the flavour of the album.
There are elements of bands like Origin and Misery Index mixed with bits of bands like Cannibal Corpse and Severe Torture. It’s loud, substantial and uncompromising.
Hate Division are a funny band in a way, as this is a surprisingly subtle album. It’s all relative of course as we’re still talking about Brutal Death Metal here, but what I mean is this; the album grows on you over time and the band may be heavy, angry and in your face but they’re not flashy or gimmicky; they’re content to let the music do its stuff.
This is the kind of album that upon first listen it’s like, “yeah it’s good”, but then without even realising it you’re playing it again. And again. And again. Before you know it you have a much more intimate relationship with it than you were expecting. The band don’t take no for an answer.
So give this a listen and let the blastbeats and the riffs explode over you. It’s time to join the Hate Division.
Shards of Humanity are a US Death Metal band. This is their début album.
The band play their Death Metal with a nod to Death and a Thrash Metal edge.
The songs are capable of following a good riff to see where it goes and giving it the time to develop and breathe. This sometimes lends the band a pseudo-Progressive edge, (again, akin to Death), and makes their songs all the more enjoyable for it.
For the most part Shards of Humanity’s songs are fast, precise and technically proficient, although they have an ear for a slower riff when the song calls for it.
They give me the impression that these songs have undergone a lot of changes in their history; not due to poor songwriting but due to natural development as there is an exploratory feeling to them.
The tracks feel like they would have been lovingly followed through to their logical conclusions by the band who would have wanted to see where they went to and what would become of them.
Solos are played well and the performance levels all around are good.
The recording is raw and sharp, recalling the Old-School but with more bite.
The vocals are savage, rough barks that are more than capable of competing with the music.
Overall, an enjoyable release. You could do a lot worse than look up this band.
Haemophagus are from Italy and play Death Metal with lashings of Grind. This is their second album.
The first track is an intro, and rather than the usual pointless nonsense most bands have as an intro, this is a lovely piece of relaxi-prog that doesn’t really prepare you for what comes next, but sounds great regardless.
The primitive thrashings and grindings of Partying at the Grave exposes the band’s true intentions and the brutally simple heaviness of Death Metal is unleashed.
This reminds me of bands like Atrocity and Abscess; Old-School, brutal, evil and fun!
Groove and chug or blast and burn, Haemophagus rip the house down around you and stomp on the fiery devastation. And then throw turds around. Or something. It’s all gloriously, horrifically messy fun regardless.
With a sound that means this could have been recorded decades ago the band plough head-first into the material and make their dirty mark all over the walls.
Don’t be deceived by the apparent simplicity though as the band know their instruments and are more than capable of shredding out a good solo. The bass also has a good presence, adding an eerie dimension to songs like Dismal Apparition.
A strong album that’s a very enjoyable listen. This may be thoroughly Old-School in many ways but it deserves a place in every modern playlist.
This is the début album of Ecocide, a Thrash-influenced Death Metal band from the Netherlands.
After a very sci-fi intro the band start with a sprawling, heavy, mid-paced riff that showcases the fact that they have a nicely heavy sound and know what to do with it.
Old-School Thrash and Death Metal meet with a familiar feel and a welcome crash.
The singer has a very rough cookie-monster voice that sounds great set against the raging guitars. He reminds of the singer of Bolt Thrower, which is also a feeling given off by some of the music.
The band show good songwriting and use some memorable riffs during the running time of the album. They seem to have a clear vision of what they want to achieve; they know how to accomplish it and have the tools and skills necessary to do this. The result is Eye of Wicked Sight and very enjoyable it is.
Ignoring the intro there are only 7 songs here so the band make use of every second available to them to create crushing Death Metal. It’s a really good début that sticks in the mind after the last riff has faded.
If the band keep this level of quality up they’ll have a bright future indeed. Check out Ecocide. Do it now.
Necropoli are from Italy and play Funeral Doom. This is their début album.
Wonderbox Metal 