Lectern - Precept of Delator

Artist: Lectern
Release Title: Precept of Delator
Year: 2016
Label: Via Nocturne
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Gergal Profaner
2. Palpation of Sacramentarian
3. Fluent Bilocation
4. Distil Shambles
5. Pellucid
6. Diptych of Perked Oblation
7. Garn for Debitors
8. Precept of Delator
9. Discorporation with Feral

Staying true to their old-school roots, Italian brutal death metallers Lectern have kept their steadfast tradition to mixing a brutal variation of this Floridian variety of death metal with a much harsher, more Satanic bent to their music that makes it more devastating. With guitarist Fabio Mariantoni leaving before recording and being replaced by Gabriele Cruz, the groups’ sophomore full-length was released September 23, 2016 on Via Nocturne.

As is to be expected here, this is a wholly ferocious and blistering effort with plenty of familiar elements to their past present throughout here. The main feature to be found here is the rather sharp, brutal riff-work, managing to work through a strong series of rhythm patterns that showcase a tight foundation with short rhythms and deep, churning grooves. That the vast majority of tracks in this section are built around a thrashing mindset means that they’re fast, vicious and really exploit the fine precision displayed throughout here as the up-tempo tracks and short rhythms give this a distinctly Floridian feel utilizing those similar tactics in their work. This one though adds on a far more blistering and twisting series of riffing over that which adds a frank brutality to the rhythms in this, and given that the riffing still adds a rather old-school vibe to the material is a fine touch. There’s only a minor quibble to be found here in that the album tends to run through a rather familiar and overly-repeated series of rhythms that make up quite a familiar series of riffs throughout here whenever the album drops into the same territory in its pacing. All the riffs are built upon the same general feel and tempo in the usual variants, and while that does lower this one somewhat the fact that rest of the music does stand up with quite a vicious attack that the flaws are lessened.

While it does become some familiar along its tempos, the fact that there’s still quite a lot to like in its overall presentation with a vicious mixture of thrashing old-school Floridian rhythms and brutal attack that it works quite well for those that enjoy either style at play or fans of their past work.

Score: 92/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.lectern.bigcartel.com/product/precept-of-delator

Created to Kill - Death's Construction

Artist: Created to Kill
Release Title: Death's Construction
Year: 2013
Label: Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Fascination with Your Death
2. Object of Perfect Torture
3. Into the Frozen Tomb
4. Murdered and Mutilated
5. Corpse Collector
6. Machete
7. Suffocated in a Bodybag
8. Self Inflicted Flame Engulfment
9. The Reaper Always Wins
10. Death on the River

Continuing to deliver the brutality, Kentucky-based brutal death metallers Created to Kill have been built around their dedication to old school brutal Death Metal that is uncompromising and intense. With a five-year gap in between releases that sees long-time bassist Abe Simmerman put down the instrument in favor of bringing Phil Good onboard to join brother Paul, the group releases its second full-length album October 30, 2013 on new label Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

From the outset, this here is pretty much a consistent and constant blast of frenzied, brutal death metal delivered with plenty of old-school verve. This is featured with the utterly ravenous and deep, tight riff-work full of frenzied arrangements and utterly frantic arrangements that give this one plenty of dynamic speed-drenched arrangements that makes for some truly impressive times. The loose, rattling rhythms mixed alongside these elements create a fine old-school approach in the riffing by offering up a fine series of thrashing patterns with plenty of furious and utterly savage arrangements while still giving plenty of fine tightly-wound riffing which is part of the wholesale approach to the genre which makes for quite the appealing time playing into the rules of that genre. That indeed is one of the main flaws here in that it’s quite formulaic and goes for the prototypical frenzied brutal death approach even with the inclusion of the more stable riff-work here and it does become somewhat of a massive blur as the album goes along due to the bands’ stature giving them so little room for refining the riffing and plays itself into that familiar playbook. There’s a dynamic and enjoyable crunch to the riffing that elicits quite the fun enthusiasm and competence at the style to overcome this slight flaw as it’s not the biggest detriment, but it does come up throughout this one and does hold it back somewhat.

Despite coming across as quite a familiar blur of frenzied riffing and pummeling rhythms that dozens of other bands in the genre offer, there’s still plenty to really like with this one’s generally furious approach and competence at their performances that it should be a worthwhile choice for aficionados of brutal death for the most part.

Score: 81/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://createdtokill.bandcamp.com/

Abhorrent Deformity - Entity of Malevolence

Artist: Abhorrent Deformity
Release Title: Entity of Malevolence
Year: 2015
Label: Comatose Music
Genre; Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Crown of Worms
2. Manifested Filth
3. Skeleton Carver
4. Buried Beneath Human Remains
5. Stench of the Decomposed
6. Boundless Suffering
7. Entity of Malevolence
8. Enshrined in Putrid Decay
9. Baptized in Embalming Fluid
10. Casket Maker

Founded in 2013, North Carolina brutal death metallers Abhorrent Deformity have quickly taken the scene by storm with an impressive onslaught of shows and rehearsals that turned out their first demo in less than a year of existence. Now finally ready to unleash their full-length debut, the effort is released October 30, 2015 on Comatose Music.

Taking their cues from the modern brutal death metal scene, the group decides to take on the usual series of utterly pummeling patterns and tight, frenzied riff-work for their attack. This allows for a series of blast-heavy rhythms and sludgy, dirty riff-work that range between those lightning-fast raging riffing to the more sprawling, stuttering paces that really round out the kind of scattered, frantic rhythms that are simply devastating in their approach. Other approaches here, from the series of rather hammering drum-work and simply blinding series of frantic patterns in the riffing that just produces a blur of discordant, sonic noise that really fuels the album’s brutality quite handily. That part of the album, though, really brings about it’s problem areas as this series of frenzied, utterly blistering rhythm patterns and boundless drumming really just doesn’t offer up all that much of a singular approach, taking it on so many varied tangents and highly disjointed arrangements that there’s little about these sections that really speaks to any coherent vision. They’re more content to simply fire away vicious and blistering patterns without little coherent thought behind them, and they come off bland and not all that impressive in the long run. Though it can somewhat be forgiven being a debut effort, there’s still the effect running throughout here.

Though it has some problems in the rather bland and overall directionless march of its brutality-laced rhythms, this is still somewhat less of an issue than expected due to being a debut and without a whole lot of other issues being present it manages to offer up enough that its appeal is strictly more for the less-discriminating brutal death metal savants.

Score: 73/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.comatosemusic.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_22&products_id=5622

Decimation (Turk) - Reign of Ungodly Creation

Artist: Decimation (Turk)
Release Title: Reign of Ungodly Creation
Year: 2014
Label: Comatose Music
Genre: Brutal/Technical Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Noncelestical Orisons Cataclised in the Passage of Ninib
2. Supreme Wisdom of Blasphemy in Reign of Ungodly Creation
3. Mystic Transformation in Encrypted Scrolls of a Grievous Sermon
4. Aberrant Ablution by Filthy Excrements of a Grotesque Crassamentum
5. Psalm Carnage in the Ghoulish Chapel of Gehenna
6. Ghoulish Requiem for a Macabre Dæmonarch
7. Prophetic Despise Under the Pendulum of a Sacrilegious Throne
8. Devilish Domain Vortex in the Gloom of Wicked Ziggurat
9. Veracity in Relics

Certainly taking their time between releases, Turkish brutal/technical death metal legends Decimation have continued to hone their skills in between releases with the now four-year gap between efforts resulting in a minor lineup shuffle along the way. Pruning vocalist Egemun Seyhan so guitarist/bassist Erkin Öztürk can now take over vocal duties in the power trio, the group’s third full-length is released December 9, 2014 on Comatose Music.

Like the majority of groups in this genre, there’s a strong reliance here on employing a tight, swirling series of riff-work with plenty of utterly frenzied and dynamic rhythms here, which are played at rather frantic speeds to the point of being blistering battering rams. The complexity of the riffing and bludgeoning rhythms featured here is where this generates the technical formation of their material, featuring enough challenging patterns that there’s plenty to enjoy for the sheer whirlwind of their playing ability alone while generating the kind of tightly-wound, blasting segments to offer an onslaught of brutality. That more brutal-accented part of their sound drives the music moreso than their technicality as this one really whips up that kind frenzied charge here as the dominant aspect of the music oftentimes at the expense of the rest of the track which seems to be the album’s main failing here. This is more concerned with hammering out brutal sections of the arrangements that it really doesn’t do much at all with the rest of the music here and turns it all into a blinding blur of squealing guitars and blasting drumming that is exceptionally competent in its approach yet doesn’t generate the kind of enthusiasm for itself that it really needed to stand out in the scene. This one really could’ve been given a little more change-up in the riffing approach here to at times distinguish what the actual rhythm at play here is really attempting as it’s mostly buried under the sea of blindingly-fast technical riff-work. On the whole, though, it’s the only real issue to be had here.

Though the album somewhat struggles with its identity as there’s little on display here beyond the lightning-fast and competently-played material, that in itself might be enough to make this appeal quite heavily to fans of the brutal or technical realms of death metal or fans looking for more music from that area of the world, while others should heed caution with this release.

Score: 78/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.comatosemusic.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_26&products_id=5023

Aborted - Retrogore

Artist: Aborted
Release Title: Retrogore
Year: 2016
Label: Century Media Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Dellamorte Dellamore
2. Retrogore
3. Cadaverous Banquet
4. Whoremageddon
5. Termination Redux
6. Bit by Bit
7. Divine Impediment
8. Coven of Ignorance
9. The Mephitic Conundrum
10. Forged for Decrepitude
11. From Beyond (The Grave)
12. In Avernus

As has been the case for a while now, Belgian brutal death machine Aborted has been one of the most consistent and impactful bands in the genre with a slew of impressive releases and full-lengths that continues here. The group’s ninth full-length release, which sees Ian Jekelis join in on second guitar to round out the group to a quintet now, follows up the anniversary EP with an April 22, 2016 release on Century Media Records.

With what has been released so far in their catalog, it’s pretty easy to tell what’s going to be at play on the groups’ albums. What we get here is the same utterly frantic riffing full of dynamic razor-wire technical rhythms that generate a flurry of tight, mechanical-sounding patterns that simply ooze forth with brutality that comes off all the more impressive when added alongside the surgical rhythms and lasting drumming raging along at inhuman speeds that continues throughout here. That technicality extends beyond the main rhythms into the jagged, slicing soloing on display which helps to make for a more complete, encompassing display of complexly-played rhythms and charging brutality that makes the group so potent and destructive. Still, what makes the band so engaging is when it drops the technicality in favor of more traditional death metal patterns coming complete with dramatic sprawling sections offering melodic buffers between the utterly frantic patterns featured within here, slowing the tempo down into a mid-tempo chug that breathes a little extra life into the proceedings which then only makes the brutality stick out even further. This mix of brutality filled with hyper-speed rhythms with the more traditional elements alongside a slower, more melodic side is a highly impressive display that’s expected of the group when they’ve been at this for that amount of time, coming across with a sense of professionalism and competence that’s engrossing and impressive. There’s not much really wrong with this type of attack, as it’s mostly down to a listener’s endurance matter on this kind of effort about how much can be taken before it tends to descend into the same guttural noise that signals the end of it all that does creep up here, as once it gets to the second half the album’s already displayed all it’s tricks and can bring the material into an overly familiar route where it just blends into the same guttural noise which is the only real problem here.

Considering the professionalism and competency on display with this one, it’s not much of a surprise that it’s as good as it is here with this one really managing to only be too quick to pull out the same tricks for its only real flaw making this one a wholly worthwhile addition to any fan of brutal death metal or those of the bands’ past work.

Score: 94/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://www.cmdistro.com/item/39305

Aborted - Terminal Redux EP

Artist: Aborted
Release Title: Terminal Redux EP
Year: 2016
Label: Century Media Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Liberate Me Ex-Inferis
2. Termination Redux
3. Vestal Disfigurement upon the Sacred Chantry
4. Bound in Acrimony
5. The Holocaust Re-Incarnate

Continuing their reign of slaughter, Belgian brutal death machine Aborted have been on fire ever since they decided to adopt a more ferocious and unrelenting charge into their music nearly a decade ago. To mark the 20th anniversary of the group’s founding, they present this ravenous assault with three new tracks plus a re-recorded bonus effort released January 8th, 2016 on Century Media Records.

For the most part this here is simply just a short, blistering account of the band’s signature sound in celebration of its big anniversary, and in this case, it certainly works quite nicely. The tracks are the usual blistering, short and hyper-frenetic bursts of vomitous-sounding death while managing to add a touch of technicality and mechanical-sounding drum-blasts to simply enhance the chaos. This is accomplished in a short-form manner which works well at showcasing the group’s sound while allowing the significance behind its origins to play out quite well. As a short primer for the upcoming full-length and a special anniversary present for fans, this succeeds exceptionally well while also managing to sound a little short for its own good as if it could’ve gone for more tracks here which is a common complaint about this type of release but doesn’t detract it too much.

With nothing really wrong with it from a technical standpoint and the historical matter behind its release serving as a proper explanation for the brevity of its overall length, this here is a perfectly suitable entry point for fans who are new to the group, longtime fans needing to soothe their appetites between releases or those simply looking for a slice of brutal death metal carnage.

Score: 89/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://www.cmdistro.com/item/37785

Cerebral Extinction - Necro Parasite Anomaly

Artist: Cerebral Extinction
Release Title: Necro Parasite Anomaly
Year: 2017
Label: Amputated Vein Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Induced Transition
2. Logic and Conspiracy
3. Nemesis the City of Madness (Part I)
4. Collision Identity
5. Nemesis the City of Madness (Part II)
6. Obscure Portal
7. Necro Parasite Anomaly
8. Face to Face
9. The End of All Worlds

Focusing their intensity to the finest point, Italian brutal death metallers Cerebral Extinction have generated a solid amount of buzz around the scene for their initial offering several years ago and have spent the intervening years honing their skill-set into a lethal advantage. With the main two-piece joined by session drummer Il Kannibale and bassist Riccardo Rogari for the recordings, the sophomore full-length was released May 5, 2017 on Amputated Vein Records.

From the beginning here, the band is focused on featuring plenty of furious and utterly pummeling death metal rhythms that play out here. This one is based on utterly frantic and furious riffing that basically runs along at nonstop tempos throughout here, letting this one get awash in fevered patterns of tight, churning razorwire riff-work. Enabling this one to work at loud, ferocious tempos as the onslaught of unrelenting riffing featured here is balanced by the equally ferocious and blasting drumming that is on display from the very beginning, the end result is an utterly massive and pummeling wall of sound that brings about a great sense of fun throughout here. In a sense, though, that approach does end up being the albums’ somewhat singular downfall here. This one is so single-minded in its focus on blasting away with reckless abandon doesn’t really offer a whole lot of variety or diversity in their tracks. This ends up being so similar and familiar to each other that the tracks are basically distinguished only by their running times and it leaves this one feeling somewhat dragging despite the running time. Indeed, that’s an incredibly big factor against this one as well which is the short and overall brief running time which would’ve enabled some extra length here had this done a little experimentation in the rhythms. However, there’s still a lot of fun to be had here.

Despite a main flaw in managing to feature some rather one-note approach to its blast-heavy nature, there’s still a lot of fun here in the overall attack as the sheer relentlessness in flying headfirst into brutality makes this one a prominent choice for any fan of brutal death metal who are those who should come into this one.

Score: 87/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://cerebralextinction.bandcamp.com/album/necro-parasite-anomaly

Vomit Remnants - Hyper Groove Brutality

Artist: Vomit Remnants
Release Title: Hyper Groove Brutality
Year: 2017
Label: Unique Leader Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Burning from Within
2. Hi-fi the Art of Rapture
3. Die Fast and Blasting
4. Extinction of Worthless Humanity
5. Inflicted Artificial Inteligence
6. Wire Rope Strangle
7. Despairing the Atmosphere
8. Supreme Indeterminate Power

Finally returning to active duty, Japanese brutal death metal legends Vomit Remnants have been on hiatus for over a decade after being one of the most influential and important acts in the genre at the time of their break-up back in the mid-2000s. Now having reformed with Russian vocalist Dmitry Orlov onboard, the groups’ long-awaited sophomore album was originally released April 21, 2017 on Unique Leader Records.

Much like their previous works, this one manages to effectively convey a fine sense of brutal atmospherics and slick, swarming elements into a dynamic whole. Fueled by a strong series of furious riff-work that runs the gamut from ravenous churning grooves that provide plenty of thick rhythms to their tight, pounding slams that just overwhelm and pummel. Letting the slams take a backseat here to the ravenous riffing is what allows these faster tracks to explode with their trademark intensity and expert musicianship so that when the slams do make more of a pronounced appearance, they’re not completely out-of-place and still fit into the mix quite nicely. While this certainly sets the album up from the outset to be yet another stellar blasting effort, it does strike the same basic flaw that so many other bands in the style employ here. This comes about where it’s just way too much like a mindless stream of the same rhythms and patterns repeated endlessly to the point where it’s nearly impossible to tell where you are in the album due to it all sounding much too similar to everything else. Many of the tracks are played in the same tempo and feature plenty of repeated riff-work throughout, so it’s possible to lose track of yourself as it’s a blue of tight, intense music on an endless loop. Still, this isn’t an overly detrimental flaw and still works well enough.

A more than welcome return-to-form from one of the more enjoyable and respected names in the style, this one manages to offer up enough stellar moments throughout here that it does manage to overcome a lot of the minor flaws here and becomes a more than worthwhile choice for fans of their previous work or brutal death metal fans in general.

Score: 84/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://uniqueleaderrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hyper-groove-brutality

Logic of Denial - Aftermath

Artist: Logic of Denial
Release Title: Aftermath
Year: 2017
Label: Comatose Music
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Abcission
2. Devouring Seeds of the Apocalypse
3. Gorging on Innocence
4. Miroir
5. Sufferance
6. Assenza (The Sufferance Ouverture)
7. Larvae of Eden
8. The Decaying Drama (Pt. I: Quietus - Pt. II: Antinferno)
9. Defilement
10. Violating the Canvas of Forgotten Purity
11. Immaculate
12. Euphoric Abhorrent Synthesis

Continuing to bring out their sound, Italian brutal death metallers Logic of Denial have given their relentless and unyielding brand of technically-complex brutal death metal further room to breathe with a three-part concept album based on the struggles of grief. With a four-year gap between releases that sees the addition of new guitarist Marco to the group, their third full-length was originally released June 9, 2017 on Comatose Music.

As has been the case for the band, this one offers up rather frantic and truly blistering styles of technically-challenging material for the duration here. There’s a strong predilection for tight, choppy rhythms and challenging start/stop patterns that are truly massive-sounding throughout here as the spurts of blasting energy coming off this approach makes for a rather engaging time. The fact that the material is as tight, frantic and utterly challenging as it is makes these rhythms all the more dynamic, impressive and brutal. Given that this is the vast majority of the album, there are tons of positive elements strewn throughout here for this type of attack as the barbaric speed and blistering rhythms on display give this one a great showcase for those general attributes. The main thing holding this one back is the fact that there’s just not a good reason for this one to include all the different thirty-second introductions to the tracks here separating all the different sections of the music. The fact that they’re all just short snippets, sometimes not even containing any kind of actual music as they feature movie samples or just incessant droning with the occasional blast to signify the change into the next track do nothing for this one but stifle the momentum somewhat, keeping this one to an odd pattern of several great tracks and then a screeching halt with the interstitial effort slowing it down. Otherwise, there’s not much else to dislike here.

Featuring plenty of ravenous and blistering material that has plenty to really enjoy overall here, the minor issues with the stumbling pace due to the interstitial efforts don’t hold this one back enough to not be of interest to fans of their past work or challenging brutal death metal in general.

Score: 89/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://comatosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/aftermath

Wormhole - Genesis

Artist: Wormhole
Release Title: Genesis
Year: 2016
Label: Lacerated Enemy Records
Genre: Brutal/Slam Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Nurtured in a Poisoned Womb
2. Battle Logic Disrupted
3. Symbiotic Corpse Possession
4. Automated Distress Signal
5. Geoform 187
6. Gravity Manipulation Unit
7. Genesis Chamber
8. Existence Gap

Forged just in 2015, multinational brutal death metallers Wormhole have gathered an impressive roster of scene veterans together into a wholly technical, blistering compilation of all things brutal and heavy for one impressive and pummeling offering. Wasting no time unleashing their twisting, turning brand of attack, the group unleashes its full-length debut November 30, 2016 on Lacerated Enemy Records.

Given the stellar musicianship behind this one, it’s little surprise that this one manages to come across as brutal and pummeling as it does. It’s effortless how this can switch up from offering frenzied razor-wire churning riff-work filled with utterly dynamic, twisting technical patterns that are just as strong in concept as they are in execution when they’re bathed in these complex, challenging patterns that dominate the album. Coupled together with a more traditional series of churning riffing patterns as well as melodic accents alongside that stellar mixture of swirling technicality and a generous helping of ferocious slams within here, this one comes across with a more fully-formed and impressive mixture of brutal and technical elements than expected for a debut offering. Bringing out the mechanical technicality with the swarm of slams throughout this one makes for a thunderous, brutal offering which manages to work wonders for the atmosphere of this one, yet that also brings up the album’s one main detriment in that this one does manage to sound so clean and thunderous that it really loses a lot of its individuality in what’s going on in the album. There’s so much blasting and twisting, turning technical slamming featured here that it all comes off as rather routine and one-dimensional which really does hold this one down. Otherwise, there’s not much to dislike this one.

With some rather enjoyable elements throughout here and some minor flaws that strike this one down, this one is a rather nice and enjoyable debut effort that works nicely enough for fans of the members’ acts involved in this project or fans of the vicious, mechanical-sounding brutal death metal sound.

Score: 86/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://laceratedenemyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wormhole-genesis

Desecrate the Faith - Unholy Infestation

Artist: Desecrate the Faith
Release Title: Unholy Infestation
Year: 2017
Label: Comatose Music
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Daemones Nos Ave Satanas
2. Predatory Impalement
3. Malignant Divinity
4. Shrine of Enmity
5. Unholy Infestation
6. Magna Daemonia
7. Ceremonial Invocation
8. Sacrilege Reborn
9. Angel Eater
10. Septic Womb
11. Ascension of Belial
12. Let Us Burn (The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)

Getting their true sound unleashed, Texas-based death metallers Desecrate the Faith have brought a grand state of intense old-school elements into their sound that brings along unrelenting blasphemies and technical style riffs alongside merciless blast beats and putrid guttural vocals. With a three-year gap following their debut, the group’s sophomore effort was released March 3, 2017 on Comatose Records.

Getting into the main drive of the album, this one rather easily becomes a series of vicious and charging display of material that maintains it’s old-school leanings. There’s a propensity towards ferocious, deep churning riff-work and a sense of uncaged intensity that creates a whirlwind of dynamic rhythms through the fast-paced tempos. Bringing the intensity rather nicely with the ability to mix and match the furious rhythms alongside pounding drum-work and driving bass-lines, there’s an effectively massive and organic sound featured throughout here that serves the majority of the album exceptionally well. When it eases off from this charging atmosphere, it gets replaced with a stellar onslaught of mid-tempo chugging offset by complex challenging rhythms and technical riff-work that really creates the proper dynamic and intriguing work throughout here that makes for a truly engrossing and blistering approach that serves this one quite nicely. From the outset, this multifaceted approach works incredibly well at staging tight, intense and ferocious work that owes as much to the classic sense of the genre as well as the more brutal elements featured within here, and it makes for a wholly engrossing and engaging experience. It runs a tad too long for its own good as the album feels like a few songs could’ve been clipped slightly and not really lost much at all, but overall there’s still quite a lot of impressive work here.

Managing to focus on so many quality and impressive elements as this one does, it really generates the kind of multifaceted approach that comes from so many impressive features here that it manages to appeal to both fans of highly technical brutal death metal or brutality-laced classic death metal as well.

Score: 92/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://desecratethefaith.bandcamp.com/album/unholy-infestation

Aborted Fetus - The Art of Violent Torture

Artist: Aborted Fetus
Release Title: The Art of Violent Torture
Year: 2017
Label: Comatose Music
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The Art of Pain
2. Boiled Alive
3. Hanged on the Hook by the Rib
4. Blinded by the Flame
5. Pouring Molten Lead into a Throat
6. Awaiting
7. Burning at Stake
8. Axe Decapitation
9. Buried Alive
10. Impalement
11. Breaking Wheel
12. Hanged and Quartered
13. The Last Way

Continuing to charge ahead with full force, Russian brutal death metallers Aborted Fetus have brought their ugly, pummeling brand of old-school and brutal death sounds into a rampaging force that highlights one of the finest collections of brutality in the scene. With a five-year gap between releases, the group finally releases its fourth true full-length effort April 28, 2017 on Comatose Music.

Once this gets started, it becomes obvious that there’s yet another dynamic stand-out offering of tight, rapid brutal death metal on display here. The vast majority of tracks display rabid, feverish riffing full of deep, churning razorwire riffing that’s kept to a locked-tight, controlled onslaught that handles a nice variety of material. Ranging from churning chugs to mid-tempo grooves and even unleashing a few slams and more traditional structures into the proceedings, this manages to unleash a rather frantic burst of material while setting up the more deep, guttural-sounding cuts elsewhere on here. These range from slow, sprawling sections full of blastbeats and more straightforward churning riffing that offers far more stagnant and start/stop patterns into the rhythms to offer a  complete brutal outlook even if the album as a whole does have a few minor issues spring up from this outcome. The main issue here is the utter lack of ability to distinguish what’s going on for long stretches of the album with the inability to really tell what track is playing as the band doesn’t really distinguish itself all that often. The fact that the tracks are all roughly the same length is a big part of that as there’s very little chance for the album to really bring a lot of disparate elements to separate the album a little better. Likewise, the need for three barely minute-long interludes is a little unnecessary as they split up the pacing too much and really doesn’t need that many breaks in an album this short. Otherwise, there’s a lot to like here with its frenetic approach.

Featuring a lot of rather enjoyable elements that bring out some really great brutal moments here, there’s not a whole lot really wrong here beyond the lack of identity in the tracks so there’s enough to work with here for fans of the bands’ previous work or simply brutal death metal in general.

Score: 83/100

Guttural Corpora Cavernosa - You Should Have Died When I Killed You

Artist: Guttural Corpora Cavernosa
Release Title: You Should Have Died When I Killed You
Year: 2016
Label: Gore House Productions
Genre: Brutal/Slam Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Blood Has Been Spilt
2. See You in Disneyland
3. Remorse for What
4. I Want to See the Light Leave Your Eyes
5. Does He Twitch and Jerk?
6. Anyway, I Had a Good Time
7. There Is No Remedy for It
8. They Would Wiggle and Squirm
9. Crazy World. Lot of Smells.
10. If Anybody Says Their Facelift Doesn't Hurt, They're Lying
11. You Should Have Died When I Killed You

Coming back into action, Taiwanese slammers Guttural Corpora Cavernosa brings their trademark sense of professionalism and general competence when it comes to the genre yet offers a slightly more impressive bent on the material than last time. Having spent the four-year gap obviously honing and fine-tuning their material, the bands’ sophomore effort was released July 8, 2016 on Gore House Productions.

Perfectly capturing the intensity and savagery of the style, the band immediately gets their main influences out in full accordance with the style. Rife with deep, thick riffing full of wet slams and heavy-hitting rhythms that are full of the slowed, simplistic style of the genre as this riff-work comes off with the same type of mid-tempo groove favored throughout here. It’s tight, vicious and quite intense for the most part here as the thick riffs and pummeling rhythms carry this one along quite decently when it wants to here. As simple-minded as it seems, the fact that it still manages to capture the necessary brutality in the riffing thumping along to ferocious slam patterns pummeling throughout here which does get quite enjoyable. While this approach doesn’t make for a bad approach, there’s a singular underriding flaw in this which comes off as way too formulaic and simple-minded than it really needs to be. For the most part, there’s so little changed from the common-ground attack utilized in the genre that it’s not only difficult to pick out what tracks are playing but also distinguishing the band from others in the genre as this one doesn’t leave all that much to chance here simply going through thick slams without really changing up much throughout here. It’s compounded by the fact that this one has such a dreary pace for much of it’s running time that the dull tempos only enhance the rather lagging approach to this one, leaving it quite unremarkable here.

While there’s some solid and at times engaging work here, the utterly bland tempos and an overall majority of rather familiar work to be found here makes this one quite a problematic affair to behold and really only makes this one a pick only for slammer completists or the undiscerning brutal death fanatic.

Score: 59/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://gorehouseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/you-should-have-died-when-i-killed-you

Ruptured Birth - Transmutant

Artist: Ruptured Birth
Release Title: Transmutant
Year: 2016
Label: CDN Records
Genre: Brutal/Slam Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Saprogenic
2. Strogg
3. Projectile Copremisis
4. Blood Siren
5. Nuclear Marauders
6. The Shape
7. Transmutant
8. Vomit Drop
9. Unnatural Selection

Formed in the summer of 2014, Canadian slammers Ruptured Birth have quite quickly taken a prominent role amongst the community by offering a highly-competent science fiction-based attack to their tight, technical slam-infused brutality. Quickly releasing their first EP and now joined by Aaron Cividino handling bass guitar duties, the quartet issues their debut full-length September 28 on CDN Records.

From the very start here, the band clearly and quite comfortably takes their technically-proficient brand of brutal death metal and slam through a very engaging whole. Offering forth a never-ending whirlwind here of tight, pummeling slams and breakdowns fueled through a ferocious blend of dexterous riffing, slow lurching crawls and a fine sense of blasting drumming to compliment the fine slams featured throughout the rhythms here. Still, there’s a more impressive focus here on introducing all these fine slams to a science fiction aesthetic that’s built more upon far more technical and twisting rhythms that drops the slamming pretence for quite more straightforward brutal death here, and these result in far more superior and enjoyable elements by wrapping around quite a bit more enjoyable elements within their basic framework-style slams and tight, chugging rhythms, and with the technical and the brutal landing together side-by-side this is quite an enjoyable release. There’s very little about this music that’s all too original or brings about any additional revelations within the music, which isn’t a terrible facet to this one but it gets extrapolated here with the endless overlong closing epic that doesn’t really do much for the album as a whole here with the nonsensical sci-fi leanings and pointless meandering that stretches the song out way past the fifteen-minute mark. It’s really the only thing otherwise that holds this one back with all the other enjoyable elements on display.

While it does get docked somewhat for some rather questionable overlong material in an otherwise enjoyable and vicious album, that doesn’t really deter this one all that much as the vast amount of enjoyable work on display here makes this quite an appealing and worthwhile effort for slam fans or brutal death metal in general.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.cdnrecords.com/product/ruptured-birth-transmutant-arachni-supremacy-mcd-as-bonus-tracks/

Blasphemer (It) - Ritual Theophagy

Artist: Blasphemer (It)
Release Title: Ritual Theophagy
Year: 2016
Label: Comatose Music
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Suicide for Satan
2. You Are Nothing
3. Jesus Rapes
4. Worship in the Void
5. Antichristian Extremism
6. Annihilated Divinity
7. Obscuring the Holy Light
8. Crucifix of Shit (Stench of Prophet)
9. Fetishistic Idolatry of the Cross
10. I Deny
11. Ritual Theophagy

Furthering their finely-honed style, Italian brutal death metallers Blasphemer have carried along their style nicely throughout their career which continues into their newest release with a blistering onslaught of their traditional sound. With an eight-year release gap that introduces Darren Cesca as the new drummer, the second full-length album was released October 14, 2016 on Comatose Music.

Much like their previous works, this one tends to rattle along with traditional brutal death-flavored material that makes for a wholly frantic attack. Featuring flaying riff-work with tight, short patterns and impossibly blistering tempos within their sharply-honed rhythms that strike with jagged precision and frantic speed, there’s a prominently-displayed attack here which is quite fun overall here at delivering the blisteringly brutal rhythms. These are made all the better with their startlingly up-tempo and frantic speeds, as the fact that there’s very little deviation here with a few offerings of more technically-challenging series of riffing that turns their tempos into a slightly more plodding pace that still packs in plenty of charging riff-work within their twisting rhythms. While these here are quite an impressive overall display of attack, there’s a few minor problems throughout here. The album as a whole is quite one-sided and doesn’t really strike itself all that well here with the rather familiar attack that runs itself into the ground here. Running through the same general riffing patterns and arrangements here makes this one a really predictable affair here quite early on, and it’s not really helped all that much with the other minor facet striking this one in it’s too-short length. Only one track here is longer than three minutes and most are kept well under that length which never really allows this a chance to really adapt any kind of identifiable march of signature attack here which is a slight issue to contend with. While the overall attack makes for plenty to like, it gets old rather quickly.

Though it’s really fun in places and does have some enjoyable elements, far too much of this one is caught up in keeping itself tied to that one impressive charge that it really loses itself here once there’s been enough exposure to this one which really leaves this one strictly for the most devout and hardcore brutal death enthusiastic.

Score: 79/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://blasphemer666.bandcamp.com/album/ritual-theophagy

Unmerciful - Ravenous Impulse

Artist: Unmerciful
Release Title: Ravenous Impulse
Year: 2016
Label: Unique Leader Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Unmerciful
2. Abscission
3. Ravenous Impulse
4. Sociopathic Predation
5. Kill Reflex
6. Habitual Savagery
7. Enduring Torture
8. Kingdom of Serpents
9. Methodic Absolution

Coming back to active duty, Kansas brutal death metallers Unmerciful had initially set themselves up as a standard-issue band in the genre that hits plenty of the proper notes in that style to create a lasting impression in the brutal death field. With a decade off between releases that has seen numerous lineup changes with guitarist Jeremy Turner returning to the bassist role and seeing new vocalist Kris Bolton and drummer John Longstreth joining the fold, their second full-length is originally released July 22, 2016 on Unique Leader Records.

On the whole this one is plainly based around the furious and utterly frantic blistering rhythms that manage to feature the traditional penchant for tight patterns throughout here. This one goes through the typical sweeping blend of high-speed riff-work full of dexterous, highly-technical rhythm changes and tempo switches that works this into a frenzy of complex arrangements that are displayed with plenty of skill and competence, giving this one a generally dynamic crunch which works well here alongside the utterly blistering drumming. Matched with the band’s penchant for slowing the chaos down and letting the deep chugging riffing and more mid-tempo paces take over, the overall display of tight brutality and unwavering technicality is firmly established from the outset. Despite the unrelenting attack, there’s still a few small issues to contend with. For as great as this approach is, it’s highly familiar and plays way too similarly to dozens of other brutal/technical death metal bands in the genre as well as what’s on the band’s current roster home as well. This attack of complex riffing and tight, chaotic patterns in brutal death metal is quite common-place and results in this one feeling quite familiar rather quickly in here and leaves this one without a great deal of work to really settle into their own spin on the formula beyond its unwavering competence. That works for a while, but after a while it tends to wear off which tends to be this one’s main undoing.

Though it can be quite familiar at times with it running into quite similar areas as dozens of other bands in this style, there’s a fine display of technical proficiency and enthusiasm found here with the energy coming off the tracks more than enough to make this a fine choice for the brutal/technical fanatics or the more undiscerning extreme metal coinessouir.

Score: 84/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://uniqueleaderrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ravenous-impulse

Swine Overlord - Entheogenesis

Artist: Swine Overlord
Release Title: Entheogenesis
Year: 2016
Label: Gore House Productions
Genre: Brutal/Slam Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. I: The Creator
2. Severed from the Godhead
3. Graceless
4. Procreating the Offspring of Gods and Men
5. II: The Preserver
6. (I)conoclasm
7. Invoking an Obsidian Liturgy
8. Riverchrist
9. A Delusion's Paradise
10. III: The Destroyer
11. Altars of a Putrid Resurrection
12. Voidweaver
13. Whispers of the Ineffable
14. Gazing into the Shadow's Maw

An almost-exclusive internet collaboration, US slammers Swine Overlord have brought plenty of progressive touches to the brutal death metal realm as the band goes further than before in this style than they have previously. A densely-layered concept album which offers a unique look at the development of the human psyche through the lens of western religion and eastern spirituality, the group’s sophomore album was originally released September 23, 2016 on Gore House Productions.

This here continues to showcase one of the finest bands in the genre working through quite an impressive and enjoyable repertoire of brutal death metal. Taking that tight, obliterating riff-work through heavy, dense slams and plenty of savage tempos creates a rather harsh and dynamic soundscape that delivers a strikingly ominous tone here with the sweeping rhythm patterns, leaving this one with quite a striking balance throughout. Alongside these efforts are far more built around the album’s more technically-challenging riffing which takes on progressively-tinged noodling, sprawling atmospheric sections with light tinged riffing and a rather more explosive series of paces compared to the more straightforward slam-based tracks which just crush onward with one slam after another. That highly dynamic variety is offered throughout here and really makes for a more engaging offering as the darker rhythmic work is quite well meshed alongside the light atmospheric noodling on display leaving this with a fine overall attack. There’s only a few small issues to be had here which lower this one slightly which comes from the album’s set-up as a concept album which means there’s several short interludes which signify the changes in the storyline yet do nothing but really break up the momentum brought about by the change in styles between the tracks and really could’ve been changed. That also takes into account it’s next issue, which is the overlong running order as it’s a pretty hefty, beefy album to get through and putting in these short interludes is a cause of that occurring. Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot really wrong with this one.

Though there’s a few issues here with the album in that it’s a touch too long and doesn’t really seem to have much use for it’s interludes beyond stretching it out, there’s still more than enough to really enjoy here with this one that this is a worthwhile choice for any slammer or fan of brutal death metal in general.

Score: 94/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://gorehouseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/entheogenesis

Vulvodynia - Psychosadistic Design

Artist: Vulvodynia
Release Title: Psychosadistic Design
Year: 2016
Label: Lacerated Enemy Records
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Psychosadistic Design
2. Drowned in Vomit
3. King Emesis
4. Castration Mutilation
5. Flesh Tailor
6. Unparalleled Insubordination
7. Grotesque Schizophrenia
8. Lord of Plagues
9. Depraved Paraphilia
10. Forced Fecal Ingestion
11. Umthakathi
12. Bestial Insemination
13. Wall of Corpses

Having burst into the scene’s conscious, South African slammers Vulvodynia have managed to become one of the top acts in the style with their dynamic blend of brutal, heavy and inhumanely powerful sound which has turned them into a force to be reckoned with. Continuing to infuse more technicality into their slam, the group’s second full-length album was originally released June 30, 2016 on new-label Lacerated Enemy Records.

As has become the norm for the band, the whole exercise is built around the ultra-deep churning riffing bringing along wave after wave of pummeling slams. The ability of the band to wrap these slams around tight, squealing rhythms and deep, chugging breakdowns gives this one the stuttering, steady patterns featured commonly in deathcore-centered rhythms as the mid-tempo rhythms provide a sterling launching point to follow up on the overdose of slamming patterns. This slam-heavy approach is all given a brutal beatdown in the continued usage of frenzied, explosive technically-challenging riffing that was introduced in their last release and adds a strong dynamic to the bands’ approach by allowing the infusion of tight, frantic riffing that piles on the slams in the slower tempos while offering an alternative in the upper tempos that still manages to whip out plenty of high-impact brutality that goes along so well together. That really does leave this one with a rather enjoyable attack that’s ferocious, impactful and devastating while showcasing only a few minor issues here. They can cool it on the lame horror-film samples that nearly everyone uses in their intros and bring aboard a slightly more cohesive sense of spacing here with the album’s organization being a little shoddy, but overall there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Still quite evocative of their style and generally one of the more explosive and enjoyable efforts in the genre, there’s so much to really enjoy here that this one manages to get quite a large number of brutal death fans on it’s side as there’s plenty for those into the slam-heavy side or the more traditional practitioners alike.

Score: 94/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://laceratedenemyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/vulvodynia-psychosadistic-design

Omnihility - Dominion of Misery

Artist: Omnihility
Release Title: Dominion of Misery
Year: 2016
Label: Unique Leader Records
Genre: Brutal/Technical Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Morte Aeterna
2. Psychotic Annihilation
3. Immaculate Deception
4. Dementia Praedox
5. Dead Eden
6. Within Shadows
7. Reflections in Blood
8. Parasitic Existence
9. Necrotic. Consumption. Obsession
10. Dominion of Misery

Continuing their onslaught of brutality, Oregon-based brutal/technical death metallers Omnihility have grown rather accomplished and competent to turn their mechanically-infused assault into a whirlwind of technical and brutal death. Being the first recorded output of the band for new members bassist Isamu Sato and vocalist Adam Toepfer, the groups’ third full-length album is released February 26, 2016 on Unique Leader Records.

Much like their previous works, this is mainly a finely-acute mixture of swirling, dive-bombing technically-challenging riffing that hurtles forth at rather frantic tempos that adds an overt brutality as the band whips up a frenzy of complex arrangements alongside the mechanical patterns with the occasional dip into a more mid-tempo chug-based pattern. This serves as a nice buffer to off-set the more brutal moments here with the tightly-wound, frenzied rhythms here containing a rather charging, chaotic focus with this series of riffing coming together incredibly well to deliver a competent, pummeling release that manages to whip through enough dizzying riffing to placate the tech-crowd while featuring the kind of frenetic rhythms that give the album a solid, brutal tone. Though the technical rhythms do end up winning out in the end, there’s plenty of tight, frantic brutality on display to really give this one plenty of appeal to that section as well with the tightly-wound rhythms offering up a fine amount of brutal rhythms. There’s only a slight issue with this one, as the album sounds way too mechanical and triggered at times to really breathe like the material really calls for here as the guitars really offer no depth or variety in their tone and stay on the same format for the album’s duration while the drumming is rather one-note choppy blasts without much deviation as well. Still, this one doesn’t really do a whole lot to hamper this one as there’s plenty to readily enjoy here.

With only a minor troubling issue that holds this one back and manages to get out plenty of enjoyably complex and challenging brutality which allows this one to readily appeal to fans of both the technical and brutal realms who can also manage to overlook the minor production issue that plagues this one which isn’t a part of others.

Score: 86/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.indiemerch.com/uniqueleader/item/38158

Slaves of Suffering - Advent of Despair

Artist: Slaves of Suffering
Release Title: Advent of Despair
Year: 2016
Label: Ungodly Ruins Productions
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Advent of Despair
2. Crown of Ignorance
3. Servants of Corruption
4. Imminent Demise
5. Dwell in Torment
6. Systematic Opression
7. Dismal Realm
8. Destructive Design
9. Vicious Cycle

Formed in May 2014, Mexican brutal death metal newcomers Slaves of Suffering have changed style from an old-school influenced death metal act before quickly adopting their more current brutal incarnation shortly afterward. Finally able to release their full-length debut, the crushing release was originally issued May 31, 2016 on Ungodly Ruins Productions.

What immediately becomes present with this one here is the fact that there’s a strong mixture of stylish old-school death metal within the brutal rhythms. Featuring the tight, deep churning riff-work with frenzied buzzing patterns alongside frantic blasting drumming throughout here, this one readily captures a frantic brutal vibe that brings along plenty of crushing rhythms and pummeling tempos to the forefront with the group opting to deliver these at mostly full-throttle paces. Swarming along throughout the rhythms here makes the riffing tend into a full-on blur of brutal riffing that comes off rather nicely if somewhat formulaic here, and with the band opting to go for some rather more sprawling sections to support the solo-work here it generates more of a fine old-school death metal vibe than what is usually found in the genre. Still, it’s hard to really overcome the formulaic and somewhat overly-familiar approach through this one which tends to cause this to come off as yet another band in a packed, crowded field in the genre as there’s numerous other bands packing that kind of choppy, feverish riffing and blasting drumming into their sound to let the band really stand out with any kind of voice or identity of their own. The old-school influences do this quite well, yet it’s not done often enough throughout here to really mean as much as it should’ve considering what’s a nice part of their sound is featured only sporadically which is what does cause this to slip down somewhat.

Though it’s somewhat slightly problematic with it’s lack of real originality and the mis-use of a potentially identifiable feature that could be harnessed to accomplish that, this being a debut causes these to slip by the wayside somewhat so that it does end up becoming a solid choice for the most fervent and undiscerning brutal death apologist or fan of extreme Latin American metal.

Score: 76/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://ungodlyruinsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/advent-of-despair