Morfin - Consumed by Evil

Artist: Morfin
Release Title: Consumed by Evil
Year: 2017
Label: FDA Records
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Reincarnated
2. Embodiment
3. Slowly Dismembered
4. Demonic Infestation
5. Illusions of Horror
6. Posthumous
7. Contorted Truths
8. Carcinogenic Parasite
9. Consumed by Evil

Continuing their march into the past, Southern California death metallers Morfin have taken the time and effort to continue to hone their style and have furthered their old-school sound into a tighter, more devastating force than the debut offering. With new guitarist Mike de la Q and drummer Mike Andrade joining the fold in the intervening years, the group offers their sophomore full-length May 5, 2017 on FDA Records.

Much like the debut, the band is clearly still indebted to the old-school sound of the genre and takes every opportunity to remind that’s where the dominant influences come from. That comes from the tight, sharp riff-work full of deep, churning rhythms and simple, mid-tempo patterns that form the dominant variety of attack here in the form of blistering thrash-style attacks that signal the early movements in the genre. Bringing that alongside the album’s penchant for melding the raging material with simpler, less violent mid-range efforts helps to force the connection to the old-school sound by bringing the slow, sprawling swamp-riddled patterns and fiery rhythms into the forefront. This is then carried along with their rather simple structures and one-note attack to create a rather effective old-school attack at times even though it does highlight the one singular flaw with the album’s overall approach. Keeping things so simple and one-note in terms of tactical riffing style and general sonic fervor means that the album tends to devolve into a generally suspenseless and rather predictable manner where if the opening few seconds promise a raging, fiery riff then the track follows suit, and if a rather mid-tempo rhythm is present then that’s the way the track as a whole is carried out. The short burst of the tracks really lets these get featured in this manner and it’s a rather distracting effort. It’s not as detrimental as expected, but still somewhat challenging.

While there’s plenty of enjoyable elements featured here and on the whole, it’s not completely terrible, the fact that it’s few flaws are there are enough to hold it back are just enough to lower this one strictly for the most devout old-school death metal fanatics or fans of the bands’ past works.

Score: 79/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://fda-records.bandcamp.com/album/consumed-by-evil

Surgikill - Sanguinary Revelations

Artist: Surgikill
Release Title: Sanguinary Revelations
Year: 2016
Label: F.D.A Rekotz
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Sanguiniac
2. Murderous Thirst
3. Relentless Revenge
4. Psychopathic Awakenings
5. Black Angel Assassin
6. Devil Haunted Dreams
7. Realm of the Resurrected
8. Alchemy Death Queen
9. The Bleeder
10. Planet of the Vampires

Formed just in 2015, US-based death metallers Surgikill have combined as a veritable, bonafide supergroup of scene veterans that continue Billy and Vanessa Nocera’s connection to old-school death metal as they’re joined alongside Stevo de Caixao, William Stevers, Ash Thomas and Zdenka Prado. Quickly taking their sound into a studio release, the sextet issues this debut full-length March 18, 2016 on F.D.A. Rekotz with a vinyl repress August 26, 2016 on Hells Headbangers Records.

From the outset, this is quite an appealing and damaging effort that really handles an explosively chaotic take on old-school death metal that comes through quite clearly here. Managing to mix together the rather fine, explosive riff-work which is filled with simplistic, sprawling chug patterns that really stay in mind quite easily despite the inherent simplicity with a rather fiery charging pace full of ferocious riffing, more lively patterns and an increase in variations throughout, this becomes quite a fierce display that’s welcoming and wholly immersive. With each variation taking on their own enjoyable elements, with the more simplistic patterns keeping the interest with wholly intriguing patterns and solid arrangements while the faster sections adding a chaotic slant here with the advent of primitive-styled sloppy death/thrash arrangements that counterbalance the refined and controlled chugging, creating a uniformed feel throughout. While that in itself gives this one plenty to like just based on the inherently impressive old-school attack, the bands’ true ferocity is demonstrated on the vocal front with the group employing nearly everyone to supply screams, grunts and growls. That results in four of the personnel supplying the screaming here and the resulting audio assault is nothing short of nightmarish, running the gamut of wet gurgling, howling screams and high-pitched female growls permeating this one. Worse off is the fact that they’re layered over the tracks resulting in several of the vocalists growling in unison and leaving a rather impressive display of truly squeamish qualities throughout here, merging these sounds into a truly effective whole with the ravaging music here.

Though it may come off simplistic for some, it’s about the only thing really wrong with this one as otherwise there’s such a truly explosive, wholly impressive offering of savage, striking old-school death metal on display here that this one truly becomes a recommended listen to fanatics of the genre, revivalist-aficionados or fans of the creative personnel within.

Score: 98/100

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

Incarceration - Catharsis

Artist: Incarceration
Release Title: Catharsis
Year: 2016
Label: F.D.A. Rekotz
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The Beckoning
2. Evoking the Possession
3. Devouring Darkness
4. Infernal Suffering
5. Chaos and Blasphemy
6. Purification
7. Obsessed by Death
8. Neverending Agony
9. Resignation
10. Into the Blackest Void

Formed in early 2012, Brazilian death metallers Incarceration have quickly built a reputation as one of the fastest, most extreme acts in the country which has continued as the group is now relocated to Germany. Following up the promise showed by their early works, the group finally prepares its full-length debut released October 28th. 2016 on F.D.A. Rekotz.

From the start here, it’s quite obvious about not only the bands’ influences and intentions but also the type of material to be expected throughout here. There’s a prominent attitude throughout here of tight, evocative churning riffing and controlled rhythms that demonstrate plenty of furious blasts spiced into the proceedings to make for a more dynamic affair as this one manages to whip up the energy into frantic driving tracks. These are nicely augmented by the tight riff-work and carries the blistering, intense rhythms as well as the more traditional sprawling, mid-tempo efforts along into a cohesive whole. This varied approach of controlled, restrained rhythms alongside the reckless, chaotic energy derived here gives this one so much to really like as a whole that it really holds up quite well alongside some rather detrimental flaws. The biggest issue here is the rather challenging vocals which are more in the hoarse screaming variety than any kind of true death growl which makes for quite a hard listen here and takes some getting used to. Likewise, the fact that the album is filled with such brief and mostly useless minute-long interludes which don’t make any sense to find their use here as they just eat up the time and really require the near eight-minute finale to bump this one up to a respectable length. While these efforts can be somewhat problematic for this one, some of it can be excused for being a debut but it’s still not enough to lift it up much more than that.

With some minor problems that are somewhat forgivable due to its debut status but more being pretty detrimental overall, there’s a mixed bag throughout here that it does have some appeal for some who enjoy that kind of ravenous, ferocious old-school death metal while those that can’t forgive the flaws should heed caution.

Score: 77/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://fda-records.com/gx2/de/incarceration-catharsis-cd-10-28-16.html

Fatalist - The Bitter End

Artist: Fatalist
Release Title: The Bitter End
Year: 2016
Label: F.D.A. Rekotz
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Aberration
2. Bloodfest
3. Coloured Red
4. Devoured
5. Fear of Death
6. A Hollowed Shell of the Body
7. In Diluted Thoughts
8. Suicidal Aftermath
9. Symphony of Chaos
10. The Bitter End
11. Tortured Existence

Initially appearing in the mid-2000s, California death metallers Fatalist quickly gained notoriety for their sincere and dedicated approach to the Swedish variant of death metal before a disbanding before a rebirth two years later that sees the band back and tighter than ever. Being the first recorded output for drummer Griffin Figueroa after Tyler Castro left following the reactivation of the project, their long-awaited true full-length debut is released September 23, 2016 on F.D.A. Rekotz.

It’d be hard-pressed to believe this wasn’t a group of Stockholm-centered youths emerging from the early-90s scene here such is the powerful and utterly unrepentant approach this takes with the Swedeath scene. This goes for the ever-present and familiar churning riff-work that contains those loud and proud swirling patterns and charging rhythms that were commonplace in that initial scene, buzzing away with abandon while the ferocious riffing keeps this one moving forward at a grand pace. Likewise, there’s also the genre’s prototypical mid-tempo efforts that let the pace down in favor of sprawling riff-work and more prominent melodic work which gives these efforts much more of a variety compared to the type of work found elsewhere here as the most ferocious tracks here are much more prominent throughout here. Granted, this here is all to be expected to be a part of this one with the band playing so closely to the genre’s heyday that there’s not much of a surprise here in many of these tracks. It’s all too familiar and goes through too many of the scenes’ cliches that there’s not much of a real identity to the band here with them playing with these tracks in such an approach, even though there’s a competence level to the material that does make for a somewhat more appealing time here than would be expected. Still, it’s an issue that does occur here and holds it back somewhat.

Even though it’s so obviously a part of the same scene as dozens of different bands here and that nothing here is all that different from those groups, this one still carries enough of a positive charge here that this is a fine choice for the most diehard and ardent Swedeath follower while those looking for more impactful work should look elsewhere.

Score: 82/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here;
http://fda-records.com/gx2/de/fatalist-the-bitter-end-cd-9-23-16.html

Slaughterday - Laws of the Occult

Artist: Slaughterday
Release Title: Laws of the Occult
Year: 2016
Label: F.D.A. Rekotz
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Unseal the Gate
2. Ritual of Sacrifice
3. Sepulchral Ways
4. Beyond Body, Beyond Life
5. Torn by the Beast
6. Church of Dread
7. Eyes that Never Shut
8. Feeding the Ghouls
9. Forbidden Wisdom
10. Plunging to Megadeath (Hallows Eve cover)

Since their foundation in 2010, German death metallers Slaughterday have remained steadfast in presenting a thorough and uncompromising approach to the old-school ways of death metal with their own distinctive touch. Continuing their association with F.D.A. Rekotz, their second album is set for release April 29, 2016 and solidifies the two-piece as major players in this crowded scene.

By and large this here is a mostly savage and unrelenting old-school style attack on display, which begins with the thrashing riff-work and simplistic approach. This is just straightforward, crushing mid-tempo death metal with very few tricks up its sleeve, working through a deep churning attack swirling with bouncy rhythms built along a thrash template without the technicality. In it’s place is a plodding crunch that keeps the tracks firmly in that dredgy, doom-encrusted tone that works so well in aping that old-school approach. This cavernous approach works quite well here with it giving the album a solid balance between the two styles, with it employing the tighter, more plodding paces that are slightly more doom-inspired while also allowing the launching pad for it to kick into that primitive thrash tempo where the band kicks up the energy and presents some more inspired and lively arrangements yet still wallowing in that murky filth permeating the rest of the album. Still, though, one can’t help but notice that all this old-school worship doesn’t detract from the fact that this isn’t in the slightest bit original, simply running through the same style of rhythms and arrangements that were accomplished in the genre’s infancy. Regardless of the competency and vigorousness of their attack, it’s still incredibly cliche and doesn’t really differentiate itself all that much even from the more modern apists of this style much less those originating the style, and it sticks out significantly here as being the only real flaw.

Beyond the one unoriginal facet of this album holding it back somewhat, there’s still the pressing issue at hand here that their style and approach pretty much renders them such a completist-only band for old-school followers and revivalist aficionados that it’s hard to see any other fan appreciating them other than these groups.

Score: 89/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://slaughterday666.bandcamp.com/

Master - An Epiphany of Hate

Artist: Master
Release Title: An Epiphany of Hate
Year: 2016
Label: F.D.A. Rekotz
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Subdue the Politician
2. Fiction Soon Becomes Reality
3. Face Your Fear
4. Just Be Yourself
5. Just Take My Right Arm
6. An Epiphany of Hate
7. It's Clearly Eden
8. The People of the Damned
9. Senses All Will Be Controlled
10. Red Alert

One of the genre’s founding figures, Czech Republic-based death/thrashers Master has literally been at the forefront of the style from the very beginning being one of the first bands to ever adopt to the style back in the genre’s infancy. Now, nearly thirty years on from their start and reaching album number twelve, the titans offer forth this crushing release January 29, 2016 on F.D.A. Rekotz.

Much like the majority of their work in the past, this here is a rather blistering and mostly primitive brand of death-infused thrash metal that charges along at a pretty generous pace here. The main basis for the swarming, mid-tempo attack here is given the main charge throughout here which keeps the tracks steady, simplistic and really straightforward as the rhythms buzz along through the tight patterns featured here as the bands’ thrashing energies are what really tend to drive this one forward rather than the riff-work. Since the tracks are generally given a much more explosive pacing that brings out the album’s rather simplistic nature quite well here as the album seems to pick one simplistic pace and then just holds it for the majority of the time here which makes the tracks bounce along when they’re given an up-tempo rhythm to play with yet when it comes to the more sluggish and plodding tempos it doesn’t really generate the same sense of energy with it never really deviating much in it’s patterns and arrangements. There’s some great work to be had when it really lets itself go since those tend to dominate the album, yet the rare occasions where it does drop these slightly is what causes this one to lose it’s steam as the disjointed pacing and tempos is slightly jarring overall here. Thankfully, it’s rare enough to not be that detrimental against the enjoyable remainder of the album as their craftsmanship and consistency allows them to do this better than most other acts in the genre by featuring enough to make it noticeably yet going for the jugular enough times to really make that impact.

As this is clearly a competent and highly professional act that knows what they’re doing, this is nicely displayed here with an album that has a lot to like about it and only a few real downer spots that leaves this a wholehearted recommendation not only for fans of the band as well as those who enjoy this ravenous style of old-school death/thrash metal.

Score: 90/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here: