Old-School Death Metal – Page 40

Crusher/Mercyless – Blast from the Past – Split (Review)

This is a split between two French Death Metal bands, Crusher and Mercyless.

Both veterans of the French scene, Crusher open up proceedings with four songs, 14 minutes of high-energy Death Metal.

The songs are unashamedly Old-School, with a suitable sound to go along with it. Simple and effective, the riffs and drums pound out unfashionable rhythms while the singer shouts himself hoarse.

Featuring Death Metal that’s concerned with basic structuring and covering the needs of the song first and foremost, it seems that the split is appropriately titled as this really is like stepping back in time about 20 years. This is, of course, not a criticism.

These songs are all about the riffs, and some of the band’s grooves are almost Hardcore in nature, recalling Old-School German band Ryker’s in some respects.

It’s hard not to like music this atavistic and Crusher’s songs are both enjoyable and pleasing.

The second half of the split is Mercyless; another four songs, (one of them a live track), 16 minutes of solid Death Metal carnage.

Mercyless’ music also has an Old-School slant, but this is mixed in with more of the timeless Traditional Death Metal style.

These songs are more layered than Crusher’s stripped back approach. Faster and fuller than their fellow countrymen, Mercyless also have an air of the occult about them that seeps into parts of the songs like a malignant evil.

Mercyless have a collection of stonking riffs here, although they’re more wrapped up in mood than Crusher. There’s also lots of solos, which I heartily approve of.

It’s really interesting comparing these two bands, as both are very strong on their own merits and share similarities despite their differences. Which I prefer depends on my mood. Crusher’s 90s simplistic riff-heavy approach is catchy, energetic and nostalgic, whereas Mercyless have a more well-rounded and holistic approach that I prefer at other times.

Ultimately though, this is confident music played by people who know what they’re doing and how to do it well; this is a quality release from two very good Death Metal bands, and I urge you to check it out.

Chugun – Virus (Review)

Chugun are a Thrash/Death Metal band from Israel. This is their début album.

Chugun’s sound combines Old-School Thrash Metal with some just-as-old Death Metal influences as well as a pinch of a more modern approach to produce this enjoyable 30 minutes of Metal mayhem.

The vocals alternate between deep grunts and higher screams. The singer does both styles very well and her voice is well-suited to both roles.

This album is an up-tempo rager, with the main bulk of the music having a healthy Thrash Metal base, onto which Death Metal and some Modern Metal elements are incorporated. There are a lot of good riffs on here and the bend seem to revel in what they do. It’s clear a lot of love and passion has gone into this release and this comes out in the songs.

My tolerance for Thrash Metal has lowered a lot of late, partially due to the over-saturation of the retro/comedy style; Virus, however, has none of this nonsense and this is a really enjoyable release. It’s more aggressive than most due to their Death Metal aspect and the songs motor along quite nicely.

The musicianship is tight and the recording loud and heavy. It’s a modern-sounding rendition of an older style, played with grit and devotion.

Unexpectedly good. Damn good, in fact. Check this out.

Horrendous – Anareta (Review)

Horrendous are a US Death Metal band and this is their third album.

Playing Old-School/Traditional Death Metal, this is the follow-up to 2014’s impressive Ecdysis.

Following on from this previous release, Horrendous continue to offer a well-rounded Death Metal package, full of interesting riffs, decent melodies, intricate solos and actual well-thought-out songs.

Their approach to the material is refreshing, even given the Old-School nature of the music; it’s recognisable as instantly Old-School Death Metal but it doesn’t sound dated at all. Horrendous are one of the few bands that play this style who are trying to move it forwards rather than just wallowing in what was released decades ago.

There’s something deeply satisfying about this music. It demonstrates a band who are able to compose songs that have a lot of depth and atmosphere without ever devolving into filler-esque extremity or retro-parody. Horrendous have well and truly stamped their own personality and vision on a well-worn style.

Once again, the recording is warm and seems to pulsate with life. One of the things I enjoyed on Ecdysis was that you could hear the bass and on Anareta this is still the case.

The singer’s voice is still a pleasing mix of Obituary/Morbid Angel and he spends his time on Anareta providing a compelling focal point for the music.

On this latest album Horrendous demonstrate why they are quite rightly lauded as one of the best when it comes to this type of Death Metal. As much as I enjoyed Ecdysis I think on this latest album they’ve upped their game even more.

Impressive and essential.

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.

Decrepid – Osseous Empire (Review)

Decrepid are a UK Death Metal band and this is their second album.

This is Death Metal for all of the purists out there. It’s Old-School in nature and takes a good influence from USDM greats like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel and Deicide, as well as elements of UK legends Desecration.

Featuring a decent sound and plenty of good riffs, the songs on Osseous Empire make an immediate impression. The combination of well-thought out guitars and Death Metal heaviness makes the album an easy listen to anyone familiar with the style.

The songs are very rhythmic and riff-heavy, with the band seemingly conscious of the necessary ingredients for a working, holistic song rather than just a collection of guitar parts.

Leads and melodies are few and far between, although solos are included to add colour and spice to their attack.

The vocals are deep growls that are extremely satisfying in their delivery. The singer’s performance is faultless and there’s even the odd scream included to add flavour.

If you’re a fan of Death Metal then it’s hard for me to understand how you wouldn’t like Decrepid. I suppose if all you care about is the ultra-modern, ultra-brutal, ultra-fast or ultra-technical then they might not be for you, but if you like well-constructed songs that have all of the components of timeless, Classic Death Metal then Decrepid are an excellent choice.

This really is an impressive album. Undeniably Old-School without sounding stale or irrelevant, Osseous Empire has massively impressed me with its charismatic songs and atavistic Death Metal personality.

One to get hold of immediately.

Deathrite – Revelation of Chaos (Review)

This is the third album from German Death Metallers Deathrite.

This is Old-School/Classic Death Metal that’s filthy and dirty as Hell. It also has a poisonous mixture of both Doom and Hardcore influences pulsating through its infected blood.

Yes, this is an interesting mixture of different types of extremity all wrapped up in a Death Metal giftbox. There’s an air of the Swedish style to their attack, as well as a whiff of a chainsaw in their sound; there’s a Doomy Asphyx/Incantation vibe going on; there’s a Hardcore/Grindcore energy à la Nasum; and there’s plenty of balls-ahead Death Metal fun for all of the family!

The songs are heavy and nasty, with plenty of bite and a substantial presence. This is a compact little album lasting 35 minutes that doesn’t outstay its welcome and is in fact the kind of thing you’ll find yourself playing again almost straight away.

The singer has a throaty growl that’s malignant and rabid. It complements the aggressiveness of the music perfectly.

This is a top quality album full of decent Metal tunes and plenty of big riffs, with everything you see and hear being covered in filth, of course.

Highly recommended.

Vorzug – Call of the Vultures (Review)

This is the début album from US Death Metal band Vorzug.

This is Old-School Blackened Death Metal that takes the brutal nature of Death Metal and adds a Blackened sheen via the guitars and high screaming.

The vocals primarily consist of deep grunts and are backed up by the aforementioned screams. The singer sounds like he’s gargling acid and his cookie-monster style is quite monstrous.

The guitars have a deeply ingrained Blackened edge to them that combines dark melodies with an older Death Metal influence. This results in a pleasing selection of riffs that provide a fresh perspective on the Old-School style.

The band have a good ear for a catchy riff and the Black/Death style means that they have just the right ratio of brutality to melody. The songs harken back to an older era where a good song was worth more than being the fastest/most technical/most brutal/etc.

Vorzug appear to be very talented at what they do and Call of the Vultures is notable for providing an Old-School fix but in a fresh-sounding way. Their passion is apparent for all to see, and in that way they remind me of the recent album from Gruesome, even if stylistically we’re in more Blackened waters here.

The music is propelled forwards by a strong drum sound, though all of the instruments sound good. It’s nice to hear the bass too, especially as it’s used to enhance the songs and is allowed to make its own mark on the tracks.

A very strong album, made a very enjoyable listen by the songwriting skills and catchy Blackened riffing. Definitely worth 33 minutes of your time.

Amputory – Ode to Gore (Review)

Amputory are a Death Metal band from Finland and this is their début album.

Amputory play Old-School Death Metal, and they play it very well indeed.

The singer has a deep guttural growl that sounds like concrete breaking. He uses enjoyable vocal patterns and his voice is just the right side of illegible.

The music has a good groove and there are some nice chuggy riffs that are fat and brutal enough to get the head banging easily. The riffs come thick and fast, making the tracks thoroughly engaging. They also know when to put their foot on the accelerator where necessary and just give it some blasting.

The songs are strong and memorable. The Old-School style lives or dies by its songs as it doesn’t have the pure brutality/technicality/whatever of other sub-genres to fall back on. In this respect it’s a very honest style and Amputory shine due to the well-structured and well-written songs on Ode to Gore.

The band have a very satisfying production and Ode to Gore sounds great. This gives the songs the necessary freedom to crush and maim with impunity.

Some Old-School Death Metal can sound a bit stale, but Amputory have perfected their mixture it seems, as Ode to Gore has a brightness and spring in its step that belies the classic nature of the sub-genre. Amputory may be Old-School but they sound born of the here-and-now; this is still bloodily relevant music.

I heartily suggest that you give this a listen, you won’t regret it.

Wombbath – Downfall Rising (Review)

This is the second album from Swedish Death Metallers Wombbath.

I knew I had to review this one as soon as I saw the band name. Wombbath. Womb. Bath. Well, that got my attention.

Here we have 32 minutes of gore-soaked Death Metal. Yes, they’re Swedish, and yes, they play Death Metal, so yes, this is Swedish Death Metal, chainsaws and all.

After a pointless intro we get some immediately tasty guitar brutality and I’m instantly reminded of why I have such a soft spot for this particular Death Metal sub-genre.

In addition to the requisite chainsaw sound of the crushing guitars, the macabre melodies are also present and correct. Old-School Swedish Death Metal may not be for everyone, but if you are partial to it then Wombbath certainly have all the right moves.

The vocals are daemonic-sounding growls that seem to scrape through into the world from a throat that has been to all of the dark places in existence. It’s an impressive roar and a little different from the generic deathgrunting that populates most Death Metal albums.

The songs tear and rip their way through the playing time and have a good diversity of speeds and tempos, from blast to crawl. The songwriting is good and if you’re into the style this is a good example of how it’s done right.

Wombbath. Womb. Bath. Time to test the waters.

Shrapnel Storm – Mother War (Review)

This is the début album from Finnish Death Metallers Shrapnel Storm.

Ever since I first heard of this band I’ve been looking forward to hearing them as I really like their name.

This is Bolt Thrower-inspired War Metal that lives in the no man’s land between Bolt Thrower, Obituary and Six Feet Under. This is 38 minutes of carnage that carries off the familiar themes with a grim determination.

The formula may be recognisable, but one of the things I like about Mother War is that it has a certain youthful charm and energy about it. Sure, the War Metal sub-genre may be firmly rooted in the Death Metal Old-School, but this is played with such passion and enthusiasm that it seems to jump out at you, weapons in hand and ready to fight.

Although War Metal may not be as commonplace a thing as, say, Swedish Death Metal, it’s still a well-worn sub-genre and if you’ve had your fill of it I imagine you’ll stay away from Shrapnel Storm. This is a shame though, as there is a lot of enjoyment to be had on Mother War and I urge you to give it a try.

The production is solid and the riffs chunky. The singer has a decent growl and everything works together to bring the sounds of the battlefield alive with distortion and pounding drums. It ticks all of the boxes for this kind of music, but as I say; there’s something else here, animating this war-torn corpse with an unholy, unnatural life. Shrapnel Storm have come to make war and I won’t be standing in their way that’s for sure.

Top marks for this, I really enjoyed it.