Hellspawn (Pol) - There Has Never Been a Son of Me

Artist: Hellspawn (Pol)
Release Title: There Has Never Been a Son of Me
Year: 2016
Label: Old Temple
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Do Not Be Among Idolatres
2. Hung on a Tree, Damned by His Father
3. Antitrinitarian
4. For the Number Is Human
5. Hallelujah
6. Heralded by Prophets
7. Upon Entering the Valley They Did Not Fear
8. It Is Not Proper for the Gracious to Have a Son
9. Santa Sindone
10. There Has Never Been a Son of Me

Utterly crushing their old ideals, the Polish death metallers under the name Hellspawn have long sought to offer infernal, blasting hymns that used their full-on, intense assault that has been their trademark since the very beginning of their career. With a four-year gap between releases from the band, their third full-length effort was released March 16, 2016 on Old Temple.

Straight from the beginning, there’s a clear idea of the kind of blistering and charging material on display here that continually gets featured. This one is mostly built around tight, frantic riffing and plenty of swirling tremolo patterns in their display of churning mid-tempo paces throughout here, which gives this one such a frantic and intense attack. Keeping the vast majority of the album in such a mainly up-tempo state lets the tight rhythms and crushing tremolo leads dance around to great effect here as the thick riff-patterns generate the kind of intense energy required. That is successfully balanced out by a thumping mid-tempo style that really brings out the tight rhythms to a greater extent that the quicker, more balanced tracks that are far more prominent on here and bring about the kind of dynamics that really get explored here. Although it gets really enjoyable due to this rather strong attack, the fact that it does tend to get lost in these repetitive riffing patterns and paces does tend to undue some of these positives with the album really becoming quite hard to determine what’s going on with the way it continually evokes the same overall approach on many of the tracks. However frenzied and intense it gets, this one tends to go the same way with its attack and that doesn’t do much for the album. Otherwise, this one doesn’t really have much else wrong with it.

Coming across way too familiar to really let the stellar attack get displayed to it’s fullest potential, the fact that remaining features here are so strong and devastating makes this another strong notch in their belt and gives this a lot of appeal to those who prefer this infernal approach to classic death metal.

Score: 87/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/hellspawn-there-has-never-been-a-son-of-me

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

Red Bible Black - Allah is Satan's Toy EP

Artist: Red Bible Black
Release Title: Allah is Satan's Toy EP
Year: 2017
Label: Merdümgiriz
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Allah Is Satan's Toy
2. Pedophilic Baptism
3. Antibirth 11: Rape Your Mom
4. Dark Skinned Children Are for Burning
5. Promote, Support and Glorify Hatred
6. In This Beautiful Existence

Continuing to crush the listeners’ souls, Italian death metallers Red Bible Black have turned to the darkest corners of the world to further explore their extreme sound by drafting in Emir Toğrul to help craft the bands’ sonic assault to it’s fullest. Offering up their first new EP release following a series of demos and splits, the new effort was released June 1, 2017 on Merdümgiriz.

From the outset, there’s very little throughout this one that appeals to the rational side of the crowd with the vast majority of the album featuring the same overall approach. The album is essentially a blur of raw, distorted riffing piling out plenty of deep, churning rhythms that makes for a wholly immersive experience. With the album essentially focusing on these issues almost exclusively and basically only changing up the tempo to go for mid-tempo verses or plodding lethargic sprawls for the different forms of variety here which indeed leaves this one with a furious intensity and anger but also quite an obvious flaw throughout it. The fact that everything really sounds the same, not only due to the use of repeated rhythms and patterns but also because of the overall rawness of the project which ends up leaving this one with a muddied sound that can make it indistinguishable what song you’re on during the release. That is somewhat negated by the intensity and energy of the performances but does end up lowering this one slightly.

While still containing plenty of solid, enjoyable elements, the fact that so much of this one is drowned out in the blur of repeated rhythms and a low-fi sounding production does hamper this one enough that it’s really only appealing for fans of the creative personnel involved or aficionados of raw death metal.

Score: 75/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://merdumgiriz.org/allahpromo.html

Sentient Ignition - Enthroned in Gray

Artist: Sentient Ignition
Release Title: Enthroned in Gray
Year: 2017
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Ascension
2. Enthroned in Gray
3. Black Lattice
4. A Thousand Ages
5. Grasp of the Infinite
6. Wardens of Intellect
7. Binding Time

Formed just in the last few years, Bay Area technical/progressive death metallers Sentient Ignition have brought a vast array of influences into a complex, challenging sound which is quite a devastating blow for a band bringing about their first offering. With the band rushing forth to offer their first professional release, the self-released debut full-length was originally released May 1, 2017.

From the beginning notes of this one, there’s a strong display of material here that gives this offering the kind of full-on charge through a progressive landscape. The fact that the vast majority of this one is based on twisting, swirling patterns utilizing challenging riff-patterns that dominate this one quite readily, making for a rather fun time here. These sweeping rhythms are based on the technicality of the riffing which is fantastic in building up dramatic moments through the utterly complex notes hit as well as the bands’ far-more-detailed ability to switch from the varying tempos here with the tight chugging, ravenous gallops and blistering thrash paces all coming to play here while expertly navigating throughout the frantic riffing alongside these tempo changes. That does manage to become quite the album highlight here, especially since there are a few minor flaws here. The biggest issue is the fact that there’s just not a whole lot of tracks to be had here with the album running through just a few tracks after the intro so it does feel rather short in spots as it really could use a few extra tracks to bump this up even though there’s still plenty to enjoy here with the epicness of the tracks as they are. As well, the fact that the guitar-tone on the album does dominate the overall production does make this a lot thinner and not as heavy as it could’ve been as this one doesn’t really pack the kind of punch others in the style accomplish. Still, for a debut offering, this one isn’t too bad and these are definitely fixable issues.

Though this one does tend to come up with a few minor issues, the fact that these are for the most part fixable as the band continues on their career, especially being a debut offering anyway which makes this a potentially intriguing band to follow for anyone into tech/death or progressive music.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://sentientignition.bandcamp.com/album/enthroned-in-gray

Ghusa - Öswedeme

Artist: Ghusa
Release Title: Öswedeme
Year: 2017
Label: White Square Music
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. 28 Days Later
2. H
3. Project 9
4. Death or Glory
5. Epitaph
6. Sickening
7. In Gods We Fear
8. Carve Up
9. Immortal
10. Flying in a Dark Dream

Continuing to uphold their country’s output, French death metallers Ghusa have utilized the famous style Swedish attack that was at the forefront of their original evolution years ago and brings them back from the grave once again to deliver the onslaught. After over a decade of silence that only included a compilation release in the interim, the bands’ sophomore album was originally released May 5, 2017 on White Square Records.

One this one gets going, the full-force of their Swedish influenced take on this style comes across in rapid succession as there’s little denying those elements. There’s plenty of focus on the rapid, tight rhythms featuring plenty of swirling buzzsaw grooves throughout here that feature plenty of utterly ferocious rhythms, thrashing patterns and that lively bouncy set of riffing that gives the material a great atmosphere in the faster sections. Even the slower sections contain a steady mid-tempo groove with plenty of tight, thunderous rhythms and a rather stylish series of riff-work which gives this a rather enjoyable air as well as plenty of diversity compared to the faster sections alongside these efforts. While none of this is particularly groundbreaking or original in the slightest as it’s basically just yet another band playing vicious and intense Swedish-styled death metal, it’s pretty much the main strike against the album where it doesn’t really offer up many flaws beyond its rather familiar and overly-accomplished style.

Being yet another in a long line of rather familiar and really proficient stabs at this style of death metal, that’s really all that can really be levied against this one in terms of finding flaws which really makes this a strong if unessential choice for connoisseurs of the genre for the most part.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://www.facebook.com/ghusaband/

Sinister (Neth) - Syncretism

Artist: Sinister (Neth)
Release Title: Syncretism
Year: 2017
Label: Massacre Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Neurophobic
2. Convulsions of Christ
3. Blood-Soaked Domain
4. Dominance by Acquisition
5. Syncretism
6. Black Slithering Mass
7. Rite of the Blood Eagle
8. The Canonical Rights
9. Confession Before Slaughter

One of the most respected and uncompromising bands in the scene, Dutch death metal legends Sinister have weathered the storm of continuous line-up changes and the times to usher a monster of untethered ferocity and savageness that follows the path of their previous work. Joined by new guitarist Ricardo Falcon and bassist Ghislain van der Stel prior to the release, the groups’ thirteenth studio album was February 24, 2017 on Massacre Records.

As part of their continued history, the band is firing on all cylinders and making for some of the most sonically devastating work of their career. The main focus here is on ravenous, churning riff-work with plenty of tight, chaotic leads that frantically buzz along to the ferocious tempos featured here, and this makes for a stylistically enjoyable offering. These typically envelop the sort of dark atmospheres associated with the early days of the scene when they first appeared, and with the bands’ choppy rhythm section delivering a loud, churning backbone to this material the band offers quite a thunderous full-throttle charge offset by celestial keyboards for a majestic melodic bent. That style of melodic accent is enhanced slightly on the slower-tempo styles where things slow down into a slight chug that adds a great base for some of the keyboards that are placed throughout here to take on a far grander sense of scale and tone than otherwise would be the case here for most older-sounding death metal bands, and that works to its advantage here. This is overall fast, frantic and utterly ferocious in its delivery focusing on the savage riff-work and leaves the melodic accents to select spaces rather than overwhelming the album which can happen here. Some of the longer tracks could’ve been shortened by a minute or two and still leave this with a brutal beatdown, but it’s the one minor flaw in this effort.

Showing every bit of the measured attack and viciousness that’s defined their career thus far, this is a pretty savage offering that maintains their revered name in the scene overall and sees this as a wholly worthwhile offering for any fan into extreme metal, their past works or old-school death metal in general.

Score: 95/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/products/tontraeger/cd/2cd-digi/sinister-syncretism.html

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/

Father Befouled - Desolate Gods

Artist: Father Befouled
Release Title: Desolate Gods
Year: 2017
Label: Dark Descent Records
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Exsurge Domine (Intro)
2. Offering Revulsion
3. Mortal Awakening
4. Exalted Offal
5. Ungodly Rest
6. Divine Parallels
7. Vestigial Remains of...
8. Desolate Gods

Celebrating their tenth anniversary, Georgia-based death metallers Father Befouled have taken plenty of their celebrated influences throughout their work into one of the strongest, most dynamic bands in the entirety of the cavern-core style of revivalist death metal. Back following a five-year break from releases, the groups’ fourth full-length effort was released June 23, 2017 on Dark Descent Records.

Slowly coming into their own, this is a group that is clearly and quite obviously taking their main influences straight into the overall view of their work. This one takes so much from the ravenous cavern-core style of old-school death metal worship where the main view of the album comes from the tight, swirling riff-work. This is laced with deep, churning rhythms that varying from pummeling lurches to frantic mid-tempo gallops featuring that riffing style, and it comes off rather dark and oppressive throughout here when added alongside the vicious leads and pounding patterns on display. Likewise, the fact that there’s a nice tempo switch here into the traditionally plodding, oozingly slow doom-style sequences where it’s churning riffs and pounding rhythms add even more weight and heft to the music gives this a kind of overall sense of crushing completion that’s quite accomplished and dynamic throughout the album. The only issue is that this only ends up being so brief overall that it really feels incomplete, with the fact that the intro and the instrumental end up wasting time on this one to the point where it never catches on the way it should, ending quickly and abruptly and like this one really could’ve used another track or two to give it a little more weight. However, it’s really all that holds this one back.

Coming up just a little short due to the rather short running time to this one, this one has plenty to like overall here in regards to their overall attack that overcomes this brief shortcoming that this becomes a nice and welcome addition to any fan of this particular cavern-core style or revivalist death metal in general.

Score: 89/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/desolate-gods

Epping Forest - Lebabvoid

Artist: Epping Forest
Release Title: Lebabvoid
Year: 2017
Label: Unexploded Records
Genre: Death/Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Inception: Everblasting Doom
2. Though-o-Matic: The Pyramid and the Exodus
3. Affair: The Curse and the Heal
4. Kria: Resistance Is Useless
5. Lebab Void: The Universe in a Machine
6. Foretoken: A Mountain-Gorges Lullaby
7. Summoning: Three Hundred Out of the Sky
8. Demise: Twelve Times Twelve Sars
9. Hereafter: We Are Alone in the End
10. Cruel with Us

Certainly taking their time on releases, Portuguese blackened death metallers Epping Forest have always been more interesting in unleashing quality darkened material as evidenced by their two releases in nearly twenty years of existence honing their core sound. Following up after nearly a decade of silence with new bassist Trevash, the groups’ sophomore release was originally released March 10, 2017 on Unexploded Records.

Bringing their full intensity to bear, the band offers up plenty of furious and utterly dynamic work throughout here which allows for a lot of positives. This one tends to go for rapid-fire tremolo-picked riffing that is added nicely to the churning rhythms beneath so that the swirling riff-work takes on a frantic tone, offering up plenty of up-tempo sections that brings out the crimson-soaked accents in those tremolo patterns. By offering the majority of the tracks in this up-tempo manner, the riffing becomes even more dynamic with the blackened crunch taking centerstage for the majority of the album and giving this a blistering overall sound. Elsewhere throughout here, there’s a fine display of melodic brought to bear with the usage of exotic middle eastern melodies and rhythms to add a different dynamic to the album. These are mainly in the more down-tempo, slower sections which are balanced out incredibly well with the crushing rhythms alongside as the frantic blackened intensity dropping into sprawling melodic accents creates a perfect balance here. For the most part, it’s really only the sections here where they adopt a more ethereal, somewhat clean crooning that the album dips somewhat into softer realms that are quite an odd contrast against the raging blackened cacophony on display during these sections. Beyond this issue, it’s a wholly explosive offering.

Without too many issues to detract this one from it’s more enjoyable elements, this explosive comeback offering brings about just about all the classic elements expected from the band which makes this a wholly worthwhile offering for fans of their previous work or fiery death/black metal in general.

Score: 97/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://eppingforest.bandcamp.com/album/lebabvoid-deluxe-golden-digipack

Marche Funèbre - Into the Arms of Darkness

Artist: Marche Funèbre
Release Title: Into the Arms of Darkness
Year: 2017
Label: BadMoonMan Music
Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Deprived (Into Darkness)
2. Capital of Rain
3. Uneven
4. Lullaby of Insanity
5. The Garden of All Things Wild

Working to further their sound, Belgium doom/death metallers Marche Funèbre have sought to expand and warp traditional views of the genre with longer song structures and plenty of dissonant work alongside the more familiar work available here. Putting their work to the fullest point after a four-year break, the bands’ third full-length effort was originally released February 20, 2017 on BadMoonMan Music.

Going for the grandiose segment of their sound, the band brings out plenty of familiar elements featured throughout here that make for a rather impressive outing. This one mainly goes for the extended, slow-churning sprawl that’s typically famous in the genre with plenty of exaggerated rhythms and running times here allowing for the band to access the full range of their influences. Those sprawling rhythms are accompanied nicely by loose swirling riff-work that gives this a melodic touch alongside the stylish plodding patterns driving this one along, giving it a warmth and atmospheric touch that’s quite pleasing throughout here. As this generally works out rather nicely for the album, giving it plenty of solid overall work here, there’s still the small annoying factor here of this one feeling just way too bloated in terms of its structures. This is felt in the second half where the tracks go for even more extended segments that do include slightly more vicious attacks but are still focusing on incorporating plenty of excessive elements to make them last far longer than really necessary here. The band was quite capable in the first tracks that containing plenty of enjoyable elements yet still had a solid sense of keeping it contained and organized, which is lost in the later half which is why those are nearly double the length and just makes the album drag on a little too much. Beyond this, though, there’s not a whole lot really wrong here.

It may suffer a touch by being just slightly too overlong for its own good by going for some extra arrangements and patterns that don’t really need it to be that way, but the enjoyable work elsewhere throughout here makes this one quite the appealing and enjoyable effort for any fan of doom/death in general.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://marchefunebre.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-arms-of-darkness

Interment (Swe) - Scent of the Buried

Artist: Interment (Swe)
Release Title: Scent of the Buried
Year: 2016
Label: Dark Descent Records
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Death and Decay
2. Sinister Incantation
3. Chalice of Death
4. Repugnant Funeral
5. Scent of the Buried
6. Rise of the Dead
7. Unholy Upheaval
8. Dawn of Blasphemy
9. Skull Crushing Carnage
10. Nailed to the Grave

One of the original bands in the genre, Swedish death metallers Internment have gone through numerous hardships in their near three-decade existence which has seen the group continue to churn out their old-school Swedish sound in the interim. Now, after six years between releases and a few lineup changes that sees Toob Bryndal on guitars and Allan Lundholm on bass, the group finally releases their sophomore release April 1 on Pulverized Records.

From the onset here there’s little change-ups on display other than prime early-90s Swedish death metal with all the usual trappings, and it doesn’t really offer any difference from these rhythms throughout here. This one runs through all the prototypical elements that should get featured in the genre which means it utilizes the same general churning buzzsaw riffing patterns that alternate nicely between ravenous blistering thrashing with pounding drumming and agonized melodies swarming along throughout the tracks. As well, there are all the usual tempo changes from that go from these thrashing rhythms to a more majestic mid-tempo sprawl that utilizes more of a fine mid-tempo chug more than anything here as the speed is dropped in favor of the heavy-set riffing present which changes the style and sound significantly. As those are dropped off in favor of the thrashing-entered material in the second half of the album that significantly adds to the album with the enhanced aggression offering up plenty of ravenous tracks here which make for a rousing, high-energy affair. Now, none of this is anything revolutionary within the genre or even the individual scene where this is yet another in a long line of bands to emerge from the scene playing this exact kind of material, even though the fact that they originally were part of that movement at the very beginning makes that somewhat easy to overlook. There’s nothing wrong with it, and it works more often than not, but it is a determining factor for this one.

Though it’s nowhere near the most original band on this very scene that they were originally involved with at the very beginning, this here is quite the enjoyable and thoroughly enjoyable old-school blast of Swedish-influenced death metal for fans of that scene in particular or those that appreciate the old-school scene as well.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://interment666.bandcamp.com/album/scent-of-the-buried-cd-lp-2

Revel in Flesh - Death Kult Legions

Artist: Revel in Flesh
Release Title: Death Kult Legions
Year: 2014
Label: Cyclone Empire
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. In the Name of the Flesh
2. When Glory Turns to Ruin
3. Black Oath Impurity
4. Graveyard Procession
5. Death Kult Legions
6. Frozen Majesty
7. Hurt Locker
8. Cryptcrawler
9. As Souls Descend
10. Levitation
11. Necropolis (Manilla Road cover)

Continuing to honor their heroes, German death metallers Revel in Flesh have stayed remarkably consistent as they dwell in the realms of the Swedish scene for which they pay homage not only in their sound but from their namesake being a classic Grave track. Now almost two years of in-depth songwriting and production process has brought forth their third full-length effort released December 5, 2014 on new label Cyclone Empire.

There’s little overall surprise here, this one is straightforward and unyielding Swedish-styled death metal which goes for the traditional elements featured here quite frequently. This one goes for that typical swirling-style buzzsaw riffing patterns that were born in the early-90s Stockholm scene and manage to feature the same energy and infectious bursts of aggression that are featured prominently throughout here that give this one a touch of the strong melodies woven nicely into the main rhythms. While these are quite impressive, there’s a more prominent mid-tempo aspect here that simply features those elements played more with a chugging mid-tempo rhythm pattern that makes this one far more prevalent in keeping the effort plodding along rather than dropping it in favor of the blistering speed. Though it still conjures up the effortlessly melodic rhythms and epic arrangements that have always been featured here with this one sounding quite massive, the fact that there are just too many of the same plodding tempos does way this one down somewhat as there’s just not as much of a change within the album to really generate much more beyond the obvious enthusiasm playing this kind of material. Also, due to the overt and obvious influence taken here from the very beginning, this one isn’t all that original and doesn’t really go for the most creative riffing patterns or stylish arrangements here as it tends to be way too similar-sounding to numerous other old-school death metal bands that actually come from Sweden which has that same general approach and attack as shown here, and it can lose it’s identity quite easily. Otherwise, this one is still a somewhat solid and enjoyable effort.

Though it really does seem like numerous other efforts in this very scene which can cause this to become quite voiceless at times, there’s a palpable sense of enthusiasm playing these same rhythms throughout here that makes this one a solid choice for any Swedeath or old-school death metal aficionados, though those looking for more original bands should heed caution.

Score: 81/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://cycloneempire.bandcamp.com/album/death-kult-legions

Malevolent Creation - Dead Man's Path

Artist: Malevolent Creation
Release Title: Dead Man's Path
Year: 2015
Label: Century Media Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Dead Man's Path
2. Soul Razer
3. Imperium (Kill Force Rising)
4. Corporate Weaponry
5. Blood of the Fallen
6. Resistance Is Victory
7. 12th Prophecy
8. Extinction Personified
9. Fragmental Sanity
10. Face Your Fear

With a legacy back to the genre’s inception, Floridian death metal legends Malevolent Creation have endured harder and longer than most with one of the strongest collection of albums in the scene that truly continues on here. Graced with returning drummer Justin DiPinto and a charged focus in the five-year gap between releases, the groups’ celebrated twelfth full-length album is released October 2, 2015 on new label Century Media.

As is to be expected here, this one is a crushingly heavy and dynamic old-school style death metal album straight from the swamps of Florida, giving this a mostly stereotypical sound and approach. The album has the rabid, fervent near-thrash riffing that manages to evoke plenty of technically-proficient rhythms and ferocious charging patterns that are given plenty of room to breathe within the tight patterns. This old-school approach is quite prominent as the band dives through rabid thrash rhythms at frantic tempos, and is merged with a tight backbone of sprawling tempos to offset the aggression with deep, churning riff-work and relentless drumming. This is the essential part of the band’s core sound where it's a strong overall mixture between the rabid thrashing with some crushingly heavy yet slowed down rhythms that give their riffing plenty of room to breathe and yet still remain a vital part of their charge as it all wraps itself within that identifiable tone in the music featuring the agonized swampy patterns of the genre’s creators. With such a strong, even mixture between these styles and generating quite an enjoyable attack by alternating these tempos so well in the running order that the album tends to swarm through its paces with seeming ease, it’s quite an effective blast that offers up very little to dislike overall here except in one minor area that continually showcases itself in the music. This one is so strongly and effectively evocative of their sound that it’s really hard to tell the tracks apart at times as they loose themselves within that familiar blur of swampy riffing and technical thrashing that’s been a part of their work from the beginning, and it can cause this to drop off at times. Still, it barely registers at all and doesn’t impact it much.

By getting this overall stylistic and fervent approach to the forefront in yet another utterly strong and dominating release, there’s so little to dislike here which mainly comes from being too similar to their past works that it still remains a top choice for any fervent fan of their past catalog, old-school death aficionados or those looking for more of the same from these legends.

Score: 96/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:

http://www.cmdistro.com/item/36958

Abysmal Dawn - Obsolescence

Artist: Abysmal Dawn
Release Title: Obsolescence
Year: 2014
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Human Obsolescence
2. Perfecting Slavery
3. Inanimate
4. Devouring the Essence of God
5. One Percent Incomplete
6. Loathed in Life/Praised in Death
7. By My Demons
8. Laborem Morte Liberat Te
9. The Inevitable Return to Darkness
10. Night's Blood (Dissection cover)

Growing stronger with every release, California death metal machine Abysmal Dawn has quickly become one of the more prominent names in the modern death metal scene with their stunning mixture of old-school rhythms with more modern technicality. Being the only release by the band as a four-piece with second guitarist Andy Nelson leaving the group afterwards as well as drummer Scott Fuller decamping as well, the group’s fourth full-length effort was released October 24, 2014 on Relapse Records.

As with the majority of the modern death metal groups, the focus here is mainly on the album’s unrelenting riff-work being present first and foremost. This one really tends to go for the deep churning riff-work and charging groove rhythms commonplace in the modern scene, all given a fine technical bent that makes the tracks seem far more devastating with dexterous drumming and swirling grinding patterns cropping into the riff-work as well. This makes for a solid intensity to the album that meshes quite nicely with the other sections here where the focus is on the more old-school rhythms as the charge shifts through simplistic mid-tempo tones with sweeping riffs, dynamic drumming and blazing melodic breaks that leave this one with plenty of variety and dynamic shifts between the tracks where it goes nicely between the frantic technicality elsewhere. This does start to wear thin here as the album does come off with more of a sense of familiarity as it goes along here with this one tending to feel rather much like most other bands of the style tend to do as it goes for the kind of familiar burst of grinding brutality and technicality before switching over into a more melodic passage and really makes this struggle to retain the attention as it goes along into the second half as you’ve already heard the bands’ tricks by that point. There’s very little variety with this one that really sticks out here as it’s without fail an either/or style release, and that makes for a finely performed if overall-bland offering. Still, it’s good at what it does which makes it somewhat listenable if not a stand-out effort.

Though there’s plenty of moments where this one comes off as more one-note than it really should as the lack of real variety does wear thin here, this is still a decent enough effort when it really gets going that there’s a lot to like here for most fans of modern death metal to really enjoy and get the most out of this one.

Score: 78/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://abysmaldawn.bandcamp.com/

Bodyfarm - Battle Breed

Artist: Bodyfarm
Release Title: Battle Breed
Year: 2015
Label: Cyclone Empire
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Hell March (Intro)
2. The Dark Age
3. Saxon Victory
4. Dawn of Defeat
5. The Last Crusade
6. Prince of Wallachia
7. Storming Revolution
8. Firing Squad
9. Wolfpack
10. Death by Fire
11. Slaves of War

Gaining in experience and confidence with each release, Netherlands-based death metallers Bodyfarm are quickly rising up the ranks in terms of the old-school revivalist scene as they continue to grow and dominate with each new release. With a minor lineup shuffle that sees Alex Seegers settle into the bassist role after several other musicians rotated in-and-out of the role, the group’s third release was released November 6, 2015 on Cyclone Empire.

Like most of their brethren from the Dutch scene, this here is mostly classic-sounding US death metal with a touch of European style rhythms, as there’s the bands’ penchant for staying firmly in the mid-tempo realm while offering plenty of tortured, agonized riffing. Despite the tortured riff-work, this still manages to offer up the classic frantic thrash-style rhythms in their riff-patterns that offer up a dynamic gallop that’s quite impactful, generating the kind of generous tempo changes and variations here with the album split nicely between these mid-tempo patterns and the faster more frantic variations. Though it tends to really stay within these two styles as the dominant forces on the album, it’s quite enjoyable enough here while gloriously aping the old-school scene with the tight, swirling tremolo and chugging riffing patterns on display that take the classic American sound to it’s fullest while the melodic sensibilities added here to slow the music to a nice pummeling sprawl and let the rhythms breathe is a dynamic, imposing feat here. It’s overall style and approach here for this is given quite a healthy march through the old-school patterns, and is made all the better by the fact that it’s not a one-trick album where it’s top tracks are up-front and the filler presented in the back-half as there’s a strong amount of quality throughout here with raging tracks spread throughout here and furthers the appeal of this one immensely. Naturally, with that amount of old-school influence here comes the album’s one main downfall in it’s rather obvious and overt aping of the classic death metal sound that really isn’t all that new or offers up much else different from dozens of different bands out there beyond the bands’ obvious talent at portraying this style which goes a very long way towards giving this one it’s high marks. While that doesn’t hurt it all that much, it’s lack of real difference in exploring much else here is all that really harms it as the rest of the material is that enjoyable.

Though the lack of really doing much new innovation with their chosen genre being the one lone downfall on the album with plenty of other more impactful and enjoyable positives, there’s plenty to like here and this ends up a worthwhile pick for revivalist death metal fanatics and a solid choice for old-school aficionados that can appreciate what the new-school bring to the table.

Score: 93/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.bodyfarm.bigcartel.com/

Destroying Divinity - Hollow Dominion

Artist: Destroying Divinity
Release Title: Hollow Dominion
Year: 2014
Label: Lavadome Productions
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The Eternity Guardians
2. Burning Divine Domination
3. Scent of Death
4. Empire of Emptiness
5. Suffering Redemption
6. Defleshed Skeleton
7. Sinful Omens
8. Inner Slavery

Undoubtedly at the top of their game, Czech death metallers Destroying Divinity has cemented their stance at the top of the revivalist death metal movement years ago, and have now slain all in their wake with yet another demolishing effort. With only a four-year gap between releases to keep the creativity flowing, this crushing and devastating fourth full-length effort was released September 30, 2014 on Lavadome Productions.

Following up their devastating last release, this one manages to carry on a lot of the same formulas that made that release so special and devastating by featuring the kind of technically challenging and complex riff-work within a framework that adds a degree of atmospherics into the proceedings. There’s plenty of ravenous thrashing mixed with technically-charged rhythms that all compliment the type of fiery patterns favored by the group, where it features a wide assortment of riffing to feature that amount of ferocious work here. While this here manages to give this a quite dominant display, there’s also hints of melody featured that carries a rather impressive buffer between these charging rhythms as the band’s ability to charge forward at blistering fashions yet also manage to accompany a slight deviation or variance that actually works quite nicely in support of the more dominant challenging riff-work and blasting drum-work. That carries itself across the album to such an extent that its dynamics allow it to feature enough here which combines that amount of old-school flavor with a more modernized approach to really gel so well here that its appeal is spread out even further by being able to allow for all these different elements into an equally coherent and devastating whole. While it might be a little same-sounding as it goes along, there’s little about this one to dislike.

There’s so much to really get behind with this one that it really furthers and cements their status at the top of the pyramid here when it comes to the revivalist death metal scene that the few minute flaws are so unimportant in the grand scheme of things that this deserves as much appeal as possible with all many of death metal fans required to check this one out.

Score: 96/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://destroyingdivinity.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

Blood Red Throne - Union of Flesh and Machine

Artist: Blood Red Throne
Release Title: Union of Flesh and Machine
Year: 2016
Label: Candlelight Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Revocation of Humankind
2. Proselyte Virus
3. Patriotic Hatred
4. Homicidal Ecstasy
5. Martyrized
6. Union of Flesh and Machine
7. Legacy of Greed
8. Exposed Mutation
9. Primal Recoil
10. Leather Rebel (Judas Priest cover)
11. Mary Whispers of Death (re-recorded version)

One of the genre’s leaders, Norwegian death metal machine Blood Red Throne has fine-tuned their attack into as devastating and dynamic a group found in the scene today. Now rejoined by original drummer Freddy Bolsø to the group’s ranks, their vicious eighth full-length effort from the group is released July 25, 2016 on new label Candlelight Records.

Still going strong throughout their career, this effort here quickly shows why they’re at the top of the genre with the way in which this one goes about its attack. The bands’ patented, deep churning riff-work with a strong technical bent are at top-form here, switching expertly from a blasting groove into the mid-tempo crunch patterns and even utterly frenetic paces that just utterly rip through ferocious blasts of swirling patterns offering plenty of full-speed tempos to the proceedings. Each of these sections, from the groove-filled chug to the tight, technical crunchy patterns manage to work out a balance and variance to the album that’s quite distinctive where it’s able to tap into the violent intensity that’s been a trademark of their core sound while also easing up enough so that the impact is still forceful while remaining a heavy, churning beast of an album. Even more impressive is the fact that these varying rhythms and arrangements still manage to capture their trademark biting professionalism, as there’s a dynamism to the tracks being able to switch expertly to these styles while managing to contain enough of a technical undercurrent to appeal to the old-school crowd while whipping up the more ferocious and thumping intensity found in the more modern school of sound as the heavy, deep-seated thumping in the album is quite infectious and really works out very well here. The album does have one minor nit-pick of a flaw here in that the mid-section of the album tends to run through some pretty repetitious patterns and seems to feature some overly-familiar rhythms with the tracks yet that’s all it really is as this was yet another utterly strong effort.

With yet another strong and dynamic display of their patented attack and the most minor of nit-picky style of flaws to be found here that might not even be a flaw to some, there’s so much to really love about this one that it’s quite an impressive release for fans of the bands’ style or old-school death metal fans in general, while most straightforward death metal fans will appreciate it as well.

Score: 96/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://shop.napalmrecords.com/blood-red-throne-union-of-flesh-and-machine-cd.html

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