Grave Plague are a US death metal band and this is their debut EP/demo.
With cover artwork and a band name that drew me in like a moth to a flame, I knew I had to listen to this release as soon as I could.
This short release features two tracks of ugly, primitive old-school death metal. No, I have not been disappointed. Continue reading “Grave Plague – The Infected Crypts (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 Thunderwar’s debut album. They are a death metal band from Poland.
After their very enjoyable and promising EP The Birth of Thunder in 2013, we now have some fresh material from Thunderwar.
Thunderwar play their death metal with a melodic edge, a slight blackened feel and a sense of grandeur that’s aided and abetted by some sterling riffs. Continue reading “Thunderwar – Black Storm (Review)”
Old Chapel are a death metal band from Russia. This is their second album.
Old Chapel play old-school death metal with a healthy doom influence. Continue reading “Old Chapel – Visions from Beyond (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)”
Obituary are a legendary death metal band from the US and this is their latest release.
Featuring two brand new studio songs and 12 live tracks recorded during their 2015 Inked in Blood world tour, this is a Continue reading “Obituary – Ten Thousand Ways to Die (Review)”
Harm are a German death metal band and this is their second album.
It’s been a few years since Harm’s 2013 debut album Cadaver Christi first landed like a high-explosive shell, and since then we’ve been hungry for more. Well, wait no longer, as Harm are back.
What I like about Harm is how Continue reading “Harm – The Evil (Review)”
This is the début EP from this Brazilian Death Metal band.
This is old-school Death Metal that rumbles and chugs its way through the playing time, but is not without melody or nuance as it goes about its gory business.
The production is Continue reading “Vulture Wings – Funeral Grounds (Review)”
Abyssus are a Greek Death Metal band and this is a compilation of their older work.
Now this is the stuff! Ever since I heard their extremely good Split with Morbider, I’ve been a fan of this band. Then their début album Into the Abyss raised its ugly head and I was hooked.
This compilation pulls together their split with Slaktgrav, the aforementioned split with Morbider, their split with Nocturnal Vomit, and finally their 2012 EP Monarch to the Kingdom of the Dead, with two Death and Slayer covers tacked on the end. All of which makes for 55 minutes of old-school Death Metal heaven.
If you haven’t encountered Abyssus before, (why not?), then they play Obituary-inspired old-school Death Metal that’s just so very more-ish that as soon as you stop listening to them you can’t help reaching for the play button once again. Abyssus sound good and that’s all there is to it really.
Presented in reverse chronological order, this is essentially taking a trip back in time with the band, back through their discography. Their style hasn’t massively changed, but you can tell that they have progressed if you know what you’re looking for. With each release they get just that little bit tighter and more focused, just that little bit more professional in delivery and in the recording department.
I’d say that Monarch of the Kingdom of the Dead is the biggest departure from their normal sound here, which makes sense as it was their first release; these songs have more of a Swedish Death Metal influence and sound than the rest of their work, as well as a slightly more modern, polished delivery style. It’s all relative of course, but it’s noticeably different from the rest of the material here. It’s still good, but it’s the weakest part of the release, and I’m glad that after this they progressed, (regressed?), their style somewhat into the old-school institution they are quickly becoming.
Overall this release gets a giant thumbs up from me. Stick it on and get ready to uncontrollably groove yourself into the ground, as when Abyssus play you just can’t keep still, it’s just not done.
Essential.
This is the début album from Greek Death Metallers Abyssus.
I’m familiar with Abyssus from their Split with Morbider, and I have to say that I enjoyed that release quite a lot, from both band’s perspectives. So when this album from Abyssus popped into my inbox, I immediately prioritised it.
Abyssus play Old-School Death Metal with a strong Obituary influence, which is not something that you hear too often when compared with bands that take their influences from other Death Metal greats. Even the singer’s voice seems moulded by Obituary, with a similar kind of tone and style apparent.
This may be Obituary-worship in some ways, but it still has its own charms and Into the Abyss boils along at its own pace causing destruction and death wherever it travels.
The songs are simple, atavistic paeans to 90s Death Metal, with the recording values following suit. It’s a pleasing collection of tracks that makes a good impression with its honesty and authenticity. There’s nothing flashy or new here, but that’s resolutely not the point. This is 39 minutes of enjoyable and pleasurable Death Metal that makes no grand claims and simply revels in the bloodshed.
Like the aforementioned split, I really like this; simple and effective. I bet they’re great live.
Check them out.
Wonderbox Metal 