Gloom are a Spanish Death Metal band and this is their second album.
Gloom play Brutal Death Metal with a Blackened element that allows them to add a viciously melodic edge to their unrelentingly savage assault.
Vocally, we get grunting, pignoise and serrated screams. It’s an impressive display of violence and the various voices are all used when they need to be to wrench up the brutality.
Gloom know how to maximise the extremity of the music while retaining a dynamic approach to songwriting so that the listener doesn’t get bored of listening to the same thing over and over again.
Although they boast an undeniably barbaric core, the Black Metal influence allows the band to add an entire other layer to their assault, with ugly, Blackened riffs and evil atmospheres pervading the songs like an infection.
It’s an interesting approach, as the blasting mayhem is tempered by the malevolent atmosphere in such a way that these two aspects of the band seem at war with each other over which way is best to flay you. This is completely to the listener’s benefit though, as it results in songs that have a creative violence to them that is lacking in many extreme bands.
Imagine a more brutal, Blackened Behemoth, mixed with the hybrid assault of a band like Gloria Morti or Anaal Nathrakh and drenched in the filth of underground Brutal Death Metal…this is where Gloom lurk.
The production allows the band to showcase all of this and everything is pleasingly balanced. Fast or slow the band sound great, but manage to avoid becoming overly polished or sterile. This is music that has a foetid warmth that you can feel as it guts you.
These tracks really are an impressive collection of songs, and there are more interesting ideas and quirks of extremity on this album than a lot of bands manage in a career.
Highly recommended. The more I listen to this, the more it becomes a firm favourite of mine.
Blimey. Hugely impressive. I’m floored.
Wonderbox Metal 