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

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

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

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/

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

Hereza - I Become Death

Artist: Hereza
Release Title: I Become Death
Year: 2017
Label: Godz ov War Productions
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. I Become Death
2. Jebem vas u usta ladna
3. Homo homini lupus est
4. Uništi, pali, ruši
5. In the Name of God
6. Full Moon Slaughter
7. Neplodna jama
8. Torn from the Death's Bed
9. Pošast
10. Tombcrawler

Attempting to follow up from their debut, Croatian death metallers Hereza have brought a more refined and devastating attack to their vibrant sound which has brought a far more impressive and dynamic variation which makes this a surprisingly strong offering. With the duo offering a strong collection of material, their sophomore full-length was released February 13, 2017 on Godz ov War Productions.

As is expected from this attack, the band is keeping their old-school riffing style in strong outbursts throughout this release which gives this a strong outcome. The majority of this is based on tight, furious churning patterns that offer a darkened atmosphere prevalent in the scene and is frankly given plenty of strong support by the lengthier rhythm sections to generate plenty of enjoyable elements here. Even on the shorter tracks that pop up throughout here, this series of tight  riffing allows for an even more devastating charge with the focus more on driving the rhythms along for the tracks’ duration rather than breaking it up with varying breakdowns or extended sections as the fury unleashed takes on an approach similar to the Swedish scene with the ravenous riffing being brought to the forefront. This charge comes off much better in that context, although it does highlight one of the main flaws here in that the album’s overall brevity which does make the tracks seem all too short in light of being just barely over a minute long, and almost all the tracks in here being between two and three minutes makes this feel just way too short, with the shortened tracks really just being way too obvious here that it holds this back slightly. However, it’s really the only issue with this one.

Offering plenty of rather strong elements throughout here even if they’re somewhat slightly undone by the overall brevity of the bands’ approach, this one manages to offer a far stronger and much more enjoyable variation of their style that’ll be appreciated by all fans of their previous work or old-school death fanatics in general.

Score: 88/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/i-become-death

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

Uerberos - Tormented by Faith

Artist: Uerberos
Release Title: Tormented by Faith
Year: 2017
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. lntro
2. ...and Finally, I Will Come
3. Destroy the Enemy
4. Tormented by Faith
5. To Be Seen and Heard
6. Black Emissary
7. My Lord, My Father
8. No Redemption
9. Live and Die Like a Human
10. Respect for Death

Formed in late 2015, Polish death metallers Uerberos came together from the disbanding of a previous offering to go in a far different direction with the group offering forth a far more brutal and intense variation on the traditional Polish sound. Now finally able to hit the studio for the first time, the group prepares it’s self-released debut full-length February 10, 2017.

As is to be expected here, this one is pretty much right on with the expected norms found within the Polish death metal scene as a whole. The music here is fast, furious and driven by tight riff-work, chugging along at a frantic pace throughout here, giving this a truly enjoyable and engaging backbone upon which to add on plenty of other elements. The tight rhythms throughout here give this the kind of thrashing energy that’s reflected nicely amongst the choppy, chugging patterns elsewhere here and that leaves this with some solid full-throttle moments here. The biggest factor for this, though, is the bands’ ability to take their tight, frantic riff-work into a stellar grandiose atmosphere, droning along into a rather bombastic sense of epic qualities that are quite effective against the rest of the thrashing music throughout here which carries that thrashing atmosphere incredibly well alongside this bombastic. It’s when the band slips from the ferocity and aggression that it comes undone ever so slightly as the melodic accents are at the detriment of the main rhythms that are so fast and ferocious that there are some troubling times to be had here with the changeover. Still, this is the only flaw to be found here as this is quite the impressive debut.

Generally without a whole lot of flaws to be had here, this is a wholly rewarding experience mixing in the raging Polish death metal scene with hints of technicality and brutality and a few minor flaws does make this one a quality pick for any fan of Polish death metal or quality old-school death metal.

Score: 90/100

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

Daemoniac - Spawn of the Fallen

Artist: Daemoniac
Release Title: Spawn of the Fallen
Year: 2017
Label: Xtreem Music
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Intro / Macabre Eucharist
2. Regurgitated from Hell
3. From Depths of Hideous Chasms
4. Spawn of the Fallen
5. Intro / Procreation of Hatred
6. Cursed Hecatomb
7. Upon Golgotha
8. Cremation (Macrodex cover)

Formed just in 2013, Italian death metallers Daemoniac have taken immediate action to honor their chosen influences in the Swedish old-school death metal realm with a variety of impressive and rather obvious homages to that seminal group of bands. Taking their sound straight to the source of it at Sunlight Studios, the three-piece unleashes their full-length debut January 1, 2017 on Xtreem Music.

On the whole, there’s very little change or deviation throughout this one that strikes much of difference between this or any other group in the Swedish homage scene. This one goes for the same attack as so many employ, that grinding buzzsaw-style guitar attack and plenty of thrashy chugging beats which makes the majority of the overall focus here replete with that deep, churning groove so synonymous with this scene. It rarely lets up throughout here, ranging from the fast and frantic attacks to the slower, more melodic sprawling that comes complete with the more restrained tempos and enhanced melodic fireworks in the riffing. As the vast, overwhelming part of the album tends to remain steadfast in these elements, there’s really no surprises in store here in terms of presentation which is what ultimately lowers this one. It’s so simple-minded and straightforward in intending to deliver such rather familiar and played out rhythms here that have been done so often and with so many varied acts in the scene that regardless of how they play this material with such fervor and intensity it really just seems like the status quo for the genre. It’s fast, violent and intense but is like so many others out there that it feels like a real lost identity in here.

With this one being so overly familiar and not all that original, it loses a lot of its impact as the remainder of this one contains enough blistering material and ferocious rhythms that gets lost at times here which makes this one really only for the most undiscerning Swedeath aficionado or hardcore old-school death fanatic.

Score: 74/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://daemoniacofficial.bandcamp.com/album/spawn-of-the-fallen

Cryptic Realms - Enraptured by Horror

Artist: Cryptic Realms
Release Title: Enraptured by Horror
Year: 2016
Label: Death in Pieces Records/Iron, Blood and Death Records (co-release)
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Enraptured by Horror
2. Doomed Cathedrals
3. In Mortal Distress
4. Total Demise
5. Sinister Force Descends
6. Vulgar Exhumation
7. Begging to Be Dead
8. Act of Derangement

Formed just in 2015, international death metal supergroup Cryptic Realms wasted no time in paying homage to the classics of the genre with their first release coming quite early on in their history leading to a crushing split release that pushed the band further. Now finally able to offer their first proper release, the bands’ full-length debut was originally released November 28, 2016 in a co-release between Death in Fire Records and Iron, Blood and Death Corps.

As befits their chosen sound, the group is quite clearly adept at their old-school mannerisms with all manner of devices throughout here to showcase this style. This is filled with efforts that showcase plenty of tight, deep churning riffing that carries plenty of variations between their pacing as the album’s straightforward nature makes for a somewhat one-note approach. Essentially being there just to showcase the swirling riff-work in various approaches, the album descends into simplistic, rather light chugging that carries the churning riff-work through these simplistic patterns with very little deviation, being played as nothing more throughout here at all as the whole album is so strictly by-the-numbers in here makes for a really dull time. It really leans into that camp so often with its rhythms and approaches that it feels too caught up in itself too easily and manages to really lose itself quite easily here as it’s quite hard to tell tracks apart from each other. Being caught in too simplistic patterns and rhythms makes it hard to figure out what’s happening, and it does take awhile to get over this and get on with the rest of the album.

Being way too simplistic and rather one-note for its own good, this is lowered somewhat from the relatively crowded retro death metal scene due to that even though it does have enough positive elements about it to be worth a look for those who are fans of the members’ other acts or non-discerning revivalist aficionados.

Score: 75/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://ironbloodanddeath.bandcamp.com/album/enraptured-by-horror

Immolation - Atonement

Artist: Immolation
Release Title: Atonement
Year: 2017
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The Distorting Light
2. When the Jackals Come
3. Fostering the Divide
4. Rise the Heretics
5. Thrown to the Fire
6. Destructive Currents
7. Lower
8. Atonement
9. Above All
10. The Power of Gods
11. Epiphany

One of the genre’s biggest institutions, New York death metal legends Immolation have always had a defining and overwhelming influence on the scene with their dark, churning atmospheric take on the death metal scene that has earned them quite a deserved fan-base. Entering their third decade of active duty in any form, the groups’ tenth full-length effort was released February 24, 2017 on Nuclear Blast Records.

Coming through in fine fashion, the band wastes no time here displaying the prototypical dark and churning sound that’s typically associated with the band. Firing off that ever familiar sense of dark, blasting rhythms and churning, swampy riff-work that generate the kind of oppressive, heavy-handed atmosphere that the band is famous for, and when kept to a wide array of tempos and rhythm shifts the music comes off even more dynamic. That goes in conjunction with the atonal arrangements spread throughout here in adding another layer to the thick, murky atmosphere by changing up the tempo into more lethargic sprawling filled with these atypical squealing patterns that keep this one on such a varied offensive charge due to the ability of letting the thick, churning patterns generate another avenue of attack that keeps this one bristling with a plethora of dark and dingy rhythms. This attack is carried throughout here to such extremes that it’s entirety is taken up with this back-and-forth approach and the album maintains a viable engaging atmosphere due to this tactic. It really only makes this one feature one real flaw in that it’s still the same-old approach throughout here that the band has come to utilize, and there’s little new to be found in here that can’t be found in other efforts by them. That doesn’t make much of a difference for some, and it’s overwhelming power still holds this one up overall.

With such a large amount of positive work here and just so few flaws that many might not really care about, there’s quite a lot to like with the group who have released another stand-out offering that should greatly appeal to all fans of the bands’ past work and both death metal and old-school death in general.

Score: 96/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/products/tontraeger/cd/cd-digi/immolation-atonement-mailorder-edition.html

Morta Skuld - Wounds Deeper Than Time

Artist: Morta Skuld
Release Title: Wounds Deeper Than Time
Year: 2017
Label: Peaceville Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Breathe in the Black
2. Hating Life
3. My Weakness
4. Against the Origin
5. In Judgment
6. Wounds Deeper than Time
7. Scars Within
8. Devour the Chaos
9. Becoming One Flesh

Finally coming back into the fold, Wisconsin death metallers Morta Skuld have been toiling away in the underground ever since the beginning of their career and especially once they reformed several years back for a nice reunion that’s still on-going. With a new lineup with second guitarist Scott Willecke and bassist AJ joining the fold, the groups’ first post-comeback and fourth full-length overall effort was released February 17, 2017 on Peaceville Records.

Despite the long layoff, it’s quite clear the band hasn’t lost their step at all as there’s plenty of life left for the group to explore based on this one. Pumping out such classic-sounding material filled with plenty of charging mid-tempo riffing and pummeling rhythms that keeps the material tight, intense and straightforward much in the same way that they usually offered in the past, making for a slew of crunchy, highly-impressive efforts. Due to the chaotic nature of these efforts, there’s plenty to work with here once this manages to get the majority of the albums’ running time with these rhythms, so when it changes over into it’s more mid-tempo elements there’s a natural balance between the ravenous, crunchy patterns and more mid-tempo, straightforward work that still slogs through the same general intensity and savageness which is what makes for the more cohesive and engaging type of work throughout here. As this is all quite common and expected with the band, that they’re able to reproduce this type of influence and clarity in this day and age makes for quite an impactful time here as this one keeps their old-school tone intact here with a great deal of their changing tones that was quite apparent throughout their catalog. While that’s all good, there’s a decidedly more modern feel and tone in the production that sounds way too clean and processed for such an old-school vibe from the arrangements of the tracks, and that does stick out throughout here quite apparently rather than the murky old-school feel. Still, that’s the only thing really wrong here.

Filled with a lot of great moments and a few minor flaws with the more modernized sound, the fact remains that there’s quite a lot of highly-enjoyable work to be found here as the guys come back into the fold with a dynamic effort that will greatly please fans of their past work or old-school death in general.

Score: 93/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:

https://www.burningshed.com/store/peaceville/collection/516/add/8164/

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

Skeletal - Dreadful Life

Artist: Skeletal
Release Title: Dreadful Life
Year: 2017
Label: Inverse Records
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Death Works Overtime
2. Sewers of This World
3. Leap of Faith
4. Life and Dread
5. Downward Spiral
6. Reaching Out
7. Ravaged
8. Return to the Grave

Formed back in 2007, Finnish death metallers Skeletal emerged from the underground to once again spread the classic, old-school approach to the genre which makes for yet another band in the crowded field of European revivalist death metal bands. With the band slowly and surely getting better with each release, the groups’ debut full-length was released February 2, 2017 on Inverse Records.

Immediately out of the gate, the band attempts to display their love of classic and old-school death metal with a churning, frantic sonic attack that’s quite boisterous and dynamic. There’s a blistering, fiery sense of old-school elements present throughout here with the album generally bouncing along to feverish, frantic tempos that bring along most of the absolutely engaging moments within this one. Coupled with the fact that the majority of tracks feature blistering thrash-style riff-work and dark, sprawling rhythms alongside those sparkling tremolo-picked accents, altogether these elements help with the old-school feel while also managing to be such enjoyable patterns and arrangements that they’re immensely enjoyable on their own. When this drops into more relaxed territory, there’s a shift away from the thrashing energies into a more tight, mid-tempo crunch that offers a steadier influence on their pacing which makes for a striking and enjoyable companion piece of material which isn’t far removed from the ravenous and thrashing earlier material and changes it up just enough to get some wholly enjoyable work thrown in as a result which is what makes for a great time overall here. The only place it stumbles is the rather weak, plodding piece that just doesn’t offer up much here and seems like it’s out-of-place with the material as a whole which does lower this one slightly. Otherwise, this one is such a fun and engaging old-school style release.

Filled with a lot of rather engaging and enjoyable positives throughout here, there’s plenty to like about this which is surprisingly heavy and vibrant for a debut release which makes this one a particularly strong and worthwhile offering for all fans into revivalist or simply old-school death in general.

Score: 95/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.inverse.fi/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=623

Grond (Rus) - Worship the Kraken

Artist: Grond (Rus)
Release Title: Worship the Kraken
Year: 2016
Label: Xtreem Music
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Invocation
2. Kronos the Devourer
3. Steel Coffins
4. White Waters of South
5. Blood Monk (Goatlord cover)
6. Worship the Kraken
7. Below the Thunders...
8. Devonian Tyrant
9. Japetus the Ice Gate
10. Typhoon Is Coming

Stepping furthering into the abyss, Russian death metal horde Grond have taken the H.P. Lovecraft influences both in their sound as well as lyrical matters as these influx of elements into their old-school death metal format turns into a far more dangerous entity than before. Following up the EP release the year before and being the last output as a three-piece outfit, the groups’ sophomore effort was released July 1, 2016 on Xtreem Music.

Considering the bands’ influences, this one comes as no surprise what to expect throughout here with this one really exploring these to it’s fullest extent. Opening up immediately with the churning, deep grooves of the Swedish-style scene with the swirling patterns charging in the mid-tempo realms with a series of blistering patterns in tight, controlled measures. It makes for a wholly aggressive time here with the album’s main rhythms carrying the film along through the atmospheric sections, and with the balancing act carried out here by going for the straightforward, simplistic chug style of riffing there’s the ever-present balance of intensity and aggression with more restrained and controlled setups. In the end, though, that mid-tempo churn ends up being the album’s main downfall. The preponderance of thick, atmospheric riffing that’s present here doesn’t sound in the slightest bit interesting at a slower level as the deceleration into doom-like tempos comes off as entirely draining on the experience as a whole as the counter to the lively mid-tempo elements offer a far less involved sense of energy. It comes off without all the same energy and ruthless intensity in these sections which manages to hold off the best sections of the album into spurts that are enjoyable when they appear but still doesn’t come off with the interest level it really should. It’s where the album stumbles, and is what keeps it down.

While it’s not nearly as interesting when it slows itself down into the more doom-centered sections as it does in the more straightforward death metal sections, those overall enjoyable death metal sections are enough to make this a somewhat worthy choice for those into the Locevraftian style of old-school death metal.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://grond.bandcamp.com/album/worship-the-kraken-2016

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/