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/

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

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

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

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

Nex Carnis - Obscure Visions of Dark

Artist: Nex Carnis
Release Title: Obscure Visions of Dark
Year: 2015
Label: Nightbreaker Productions
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Darkened Rites of Existence
2. Cryptic Depths of Unlight
3. Dissolution in Vortex of Sanity
4. Descent into Ethereal Realms
5. Abolishing Rancid Thrones of Deceit
6. Murky Pits of Time

Formed in early 2012, Iranian death metallers Nex Carnis have steadily and quickly risen from their humble beginnings to craft a series of impressive old-school-style death metal that becomes quite prominent throughout here. With the group expanding out into a three-piece now with Jirka "Jurgen" Zajíc joining in on drums while Sam works as a session bassist for founders Incruent and Asto Vidato, the groups’ debut full-length was originally released May 23, 2015 on Nightbreaker Productions.

This here was quite the impressive outing in the genre, and really manages quite nicely to get the old-school feeling down quite nicely here. Bolstered by churning riff-work and plenty of tight, straightforward patterns that carry that syncopated style of riff-work along throughout the tight and energetic paces filled with rumbling rhythms pounding out the simplistic riffing as well as more of a plodding mid-tempo series of work carried out by the choppy chugging riff-work throughout here, the album as a whole tends to offer a great variety and dynamic that works itself into a series of aggressive-minded efforts that are quite enjoyable. Though nowhere near the technicality of their brethren, this type of variety makes for a much more appealing attack than necessary while managing to work in the melodic sweeping that gets sprinkled through several tracks here that furthers this balance quite nicely. Though it’s quite an overall effective balance and features a solid enough attack here with these elements, the fact that there’s just not a whole lot else to really glean from these few tracks here as the overall short length here doesn’t really become a huge factor but is really noticeable with the few tracks here. Still, as a debut effort this does serve as a minor point of contention without being too detrimental.

With a truly enjoyable attack and a few slight problems deviating mainly from a slightly too short running time caused by not really providing enough music to really exploit that quality to the fullest, this is a highly engaging and enjoyable album that will certainly be worthwhile to all fans of old-school death metal or those curious about the regions’ specific output in the genre.

Score: 88/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.nightbreakerprod.com/store/nex-carnis-obscure-visions-of-dark-cd

Evil Reborn - Throne of Insanity

Artist: Evil Reborn
Release Title: Throne of Insanity
Year: 2016
Label: Evil's Records/Satanath Records
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Black Dahlia
2. Evil Reborn
3. Adicción visceral
4. Possessed Angels
5. A Morbid Encounter
6. Destroying the Trinity
7. Throne of Insanity
8. Night Killer
9. Bendita malevolencia

Formed just in 2012, Venezuelan death metallers Evil Reborn have quickly set about taking their love of old-school death metal to their quickly-released first EP before taking a slight gap to deal with their lineup issues. With bassist/guitarist Armando Henriquez departing to let Alfredo Herrera join in on guitar while being the first-recorded output for bassist Jesús Maneiro, the debut full-length was issued as a co-release between Satanath Records and Evil’s Records on May 17, 2016.

Throughout here the group is dependent upon the old-school style of attack here which manages to run through a rather simplistic attack for the most part here. There’s a huge proficiency of deep, churning riff-work on display here which is carried along by the ravenous rhythms present which makes this one all the more tight and intense by making the riffing fly through the faster, up-tempo paces here. With this approach balanced along quite nicely by a hard-hitting, chugging intensity that gives this a charging, vicious attitude that owes to slight influences from the chug-heavy Deathcore scene which strangely still goes along quite nicely with the old-school swirling rhythms, the overall approach and design along the way here gives this one a lot to really like and really offers a lot to really enjoy about this one. This makes for some rather good times here though it does have a rather small factor involved here that brings it down somewhat. There’s a rather strong attitude here that’s really not that concerned with the more prominent death metal aesthetics throughout here as the chug-heavy riff-work keeps this one strangely mid-tempo for the most part. It’s mostly fiery and enjoyable enough, but the pacing here really could’ve been livened up by having more thoroughly atmospheric death metal patterns here, and it really does stand up here as the main issue for the most part.

Though there’s not nearly as much fiery and lively work here that really could’ve exploited the greatness of their attack to the fullest, there’s still more than enough on this one that works well that it becomes a curiosity piece for those who appreciate this kind of slow-churning death metal as a whole or those that enjoy Latin American death metal as well.

Score: 80/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:

https://evilreborn.bandcamp.com/album/throne-of-insanity

Necroven - Primordial Subjugation

Artist: Necroven
Release Title: Primordial Subjugation
Year: 2016
Label: Memento Mori
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Sacrificial Deliverance
2. The Pyre Cycle (Burn in Solitude)
3. Primordial Subjugation
4. The Ethereal
5. Esoteric Entropy (Gateway to the End)
6. Martyrs of Repentance
7. Serpents Crawl Stealthy

Continuing to honor their influences, Spanish death metallers Necroven have brought out a series of blistering, seething styles of death metal brought about by their unrelenting rage into a series of dark, festering cryptic music. Taking a four-year gap from their last full-length album, and only a two-year gap from their last overall release that sees mastermind J.R. joined by full-time bassist F.C,, the groups’ second full-length album was released October 24, 2016 on Memento Mori.

Almost immediately this here is basically centered around the idea of utilizing the old-school manner of attack throughout with plenty of explicitly enjoyable rhythms due to this. Firing off plenty of razor-sharp and churning old-school rhythms throughout here with a violent intensity, the main approach here with the riff-work is that semblance of stylized churning patterns that offer up plenty of strong sprawling patterns throughout here which come together with the series of darkened riffing to create a tight, nearly blackened atmosphere that’s wholly impressive and damaging when the band unleashes the full force of this assault. When coupled with the sparkling tremolo leads over the top this becomes all the more closely associated with the grand dark atmospherics and generates the kind of truly blistering setting for the band to really explore that to the fullest, yet it also highlights the first of the album’s few, barely negligible flaws. The main issue here is the fact that there’s just not a whole lot of opportunity for the band to readily explore many other elements here with the bands’ mostly straightforward approach running throughout the tracks not allowing it to really go anywhere else. This here is so strictly a single-minded assault of old-school influenced death metal that it doesn’t do anything really different here in the rhythms which are so steadfast in their determination to homage that style that it ends up dragging out the songs a little too long that, incidentally, is the other minor issue here in that there’s little reason for the songs here to be this long other than cover for the shorter run-time and especially running in the strict old-school manner as it does here. Still, these here are all that really crops up about the album.

While there’s not a great deal of innovation or variety here with the band blasting through their old-school worship in a relatively straightforward manner, the majority of this album works with a sense of dark, intense atmosphere that should make this wholly appealing to old-school fanatics or fans of this style of revivalist death metal.

Score: 84/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://www.discogs.com/Necroven-Primordial-Subjugation/release/9258361

Kingdom (Pol) - Sepulchral Psalms from the Abyss of Torment

Artist: Kingdom (Pol)
Release Title: Sepulchral Psalms from the Abyss of Torment
Year: 2016
Label: Godz ov War Productions
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Sepulchlar Psalms
2. Monolith of Death
3. Forsaken Tribe
4. Kaplica Ducha Zgniłego
5. Abyss of Torment
6. Black Rain upon the Mountain of Doom
7. Whispering the Incantation of Eternal Fire
8. Cromlech (Darkthrone cover)

Keeping their old-school sound intact, Polish death metal veterans Kingdom have gained a loyal following for their die-hard adherence to a blackened old-school attack of churning death metal madness. With a three-year gap between records that sees the band employing new bassist STH and being his first recorded output for the band, their third full-length effort is originally released October 30, 2016 on new label Godz ov War Productions.

From the onset here this is quite obviously a grand old-school styled affair which wraps plenty of strong and impressive elements within. The main focus here is on the band's devoutly old-school style attack, from the swirling tremolo-laced patterns that are intertwined throughout here with the lurching, sprawling riff-work at the core of the band’s sound which manage to add a darkened, swampy attack to the slow, sprawling riff-work. This is highly impressive for the most part as this atmospheric displays reeks of the sprawling, deep churning vibe of the old-school scene which is then played at a variety of tempos that alternate from the ferocious up-tempo thrasher to a chugging mid-tempo outburst and a doom-riddled sprawl that offers plenty of crusty elements to the band’s signature swampy lurch with this series of deviations allowing for a wholly well-rounded outcome that gets melded together in competent, coherent fashion. It’s all tied together in lengthy, sprawling numbers that gel incredibly well together as this allows for the album to ebb and flow together while still remaining constant and charging to generate the required liveliness to make for a compelling effort. The fact that this all comes together so well yet still feels way too short is a great effort as well, but does highlight the one minor flaw here in that this does come off like it needs another track or two just to round itself off into a more complete form, as everything here works so well but does feel brief with only eight tracks, albeit seven originals with the fine cover at the end tying this up nicely so it does feel like another track or so would’ve pushed this over the edge what with the quality on display here.

Though this one does feel a bit too short and rather brief overall, the fact that the competency and utterly impressive displays found throughout here overcome that to quite a large degree that it becomes the main element holding this one back from further greatness as it should readily appeal to all revivalist death metal fans, old-school aficionados or most fans of extreme metal in general.

Score: 92/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/kingdom-sepulchral-psalms-from-the-abyss-of-torment

Harm (Gr) - The Evil

Artist: Harm (Gr)
Release Title: The Evil
Year: 2016
Label: Final Gate Records
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Vlad the Impaler
2. Knife Penetration
3. The Evil
4. Undead World Crusade
5. City of the Dead
6. God Forgives - My Chainsaw Not
7. Gutted like a Dear
8. Dead Body Love
9. First Blood 1918
10. Panzer Apocalypse

Storming onto the scene, the German death metal group Harm showed their mettle on the previous release and the storming impact featured here continues their ultra-heavy, mid-tempo old-school death metal attack. Being the first recorded output with new bassist Felix who joined several years ago, their second full-length is released June 18, 2016 on Final Gate Records.

As was established on their previous album, this here is generally a more mid-tempo and simplistic death metal attack that goes for large, sprawling vistas through the doom-influenced rhythms. This here is mostly just a singular riff repeated around a crushingly heavy mid-tempo pace that features scorchingly heavy swirling patterns that offer up a rather blasting impact with the group’s few outbursts of dynamic dexterous drum-work that accompanies this mostly simple-minded approach which is where this one really scores quite well. With the album’s mostly straightforward approach that opts for the chugging riffing and sprawling patterns in the arrangements, there’s plenty of utterly dynamic and crushingly heavy moments here where it takes the agonizing rhythms along through that series of rhythms here, and for extra variance it does nicely segue into a series of faster patterns propelled by some sterling drumming and urgent chainsaw-style buzzing riffing that ups the tempo into a feverish gallop which is a finely accented companion piece to the more dominant plodding tempos. While these here give this one such a rousing feel and tone, there’s a slight hint of repetition to be found here as this one goes about itself in a rather stylistically similar manner. So many of these rhythms and patterns are kept in the same general air through the majority of the tracks here that it can lead to a bit of a struggle to determine where things are with this one at times, though it’s not nearly as detrimental as expected here as this one has so much more to really like about it.

With plenty of positives to really get worked up about and only a few minor issues that really aren’t that detrimental to this one all that much, this has plenty of positive elements to be found that make it a solid, worthwhile choice for any fan into this brand of old-school flavored death metal or resolute revivalist fanatics that prefer this approach.

Score: 88/100

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

Destroying Divinity - Dark Future

Artist: Destroying Divinity
Release Title: Dark Future
Year: 2010
Label: Brutal Bands
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. To Live in Gloom of the Beyond
2. At War with Two Worlds
3. Birth of Faceless Killer
4. Putrid Stench of Past
5. Undead in the Darkness
6. Cult
7. Prophecy
8. Name Written with Blood
9. Face to Face to Destiny

Further establishing their reputation, Czech death metal veterans Destroying Divinity continues to showcase a growing trend in their homeland to play early US style death metal with doses of extreme creativity and uniqueness, which is what’s continued here. The third album in their decade-long career, delivered after a six-year layoff between releases, is initially released June 25, 2011 on new-label Brutal Bands.

As is customary for the group now, this one carries along their traditional stamp of quality, old-school death metal with their exuberant mix of both US and European styles. The US variations come namely the way it thrashes away with their technical-based rhythms across bouncy guitar riffs, dynamic tempo variations and a swamp-ridden atmosphere while invoking the atmosphere and sense of dread in the imagery that’s quite eerie. This ends up delivering raging, up-tempo riffs with a slight technical bombast into brutal, tight formations that definitely offer up a sense of darkness and intensity through a blasting drum-attack and technical riff-work that remains ferocious and vicious with its’ scathing intensity which recalls its forbearers quite nicely. Alongside such tight, intense tracks, the veteran sense of knowing when to throw in a melodic line or lead-work is mixed in, putting this in a rather fine league where it blasts away furiously before injecting a slower tempo or augmenting the intensity with a lighter mood through sparing use of a melodic tempo. Surprisingly, this results in somewhat bouncy and energetic rhythms than would normally be considered in such a genre as befits such a scene here, as the typical impetus is to just blast away with reckless abandon and scald all those who stand in the way, whereas here those get distracted by the melodic tones before getting scalded into oblivion and it generates a lot more favorable response when it doesn’t employ this for every track throughout as the sporadic use makes it’s surprise appearance all the more fruitful and the devastating impact of the blistering drumming and raging, brutal guitar riffs seem all the more impactful. As a side bonus, the impact against the brutal, deep gorilla growls that populate this one makes the melody more striking against such straight-laced and intense brutality. Though it can utterly dominate with this approach, it does bring up one utterly minor flaw in that it really doesn’t do a whole lot wrong beyond recycle a lot of the same riffing patterns and rhythms throughout. This can be somewhat same-sounding after a while, though the devastating and pummeling attack manages to correct it.

That it features so many enticing elements without all that many flaws is the capper on one of the most undervalued, overlooked bands in the scene and really makes this one a no-doubt inquiry for any fan of old-school death metal or the revivalist scene in particular, though it's hard to imagine anyone remotely into the genre as a whole to have a problem with this one.

Score: 94/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://destroyingdivinity.bandcamp.com/album/dark-future

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/

Exanimatvm - Dispersae et Tormentvm

Artist: Exanimatvm
Release Title: Dispersae et Tormentvm
Year: 2016
Label: Dunkelheit Produktionen
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. La apoteosis de todos los errores
2. Vae Victis
3. Danza impura
4. Dispersiones y tormento
5. Exanimatvm
6. Oscura propagación del linaje de toons
7. Nocturnas luminiscencias
8. Abominabilis Conditio
9. Shoort

Formed in February 2013, Chilean death metal troupe Exanimatvm have steadily fought their way out of the underground with plenty of attitude and a ferocious concept for their style. With long-time frontman Ivan Barraza gone and bassist Dennis Ferreira taking over vocal duties with the addition of second guitarist Jorge Tréllez filling out their ranks, this debut effort released June 18, 2016 on Dunkelheit Productions shows these guys really understand what’s so special about South American death metal.

Despite the slight roster shake-up, for the most part this here is still a rather enjoyable and really rousing effort that manages to effectively channel and reproduce the rather frantic approach of the old-school death metal sound. Filled with a darkened, raw atmosphere that brings out the type of dirty, murky tone and feel here while ripping along to the steady riffing buzzing along when it’s ripping through the frantic styles or generally carrying along at a steady mid-tempo range that has a rather enjoyably decrepit feel thumping along to the rest of the material. This sludgy, swampy concoction is quite enjoyable with this one really generating the kind of charge through the old-school that really makes for a dynamic approach with the sprawling riff-work and steady rhythms providing the perfect raucous background for that particular brand of stylish homage and revival of the genre. With the competence of their attack out of the question, the fact that this constitutes yet another band in the ever-growing trend of trying to play homage to the past causes this one to stand-out somewhat as the album’s real lone flaw by simply playing a mostly unoriginal brand of music. This particular brand of buzzing, steady style of death metal doesn’t really strike as the most varied type out there and it does leave the band not only playing through the past efforts of the genre but also more recent bands going for this style of old-school worship, and while the band is a lot more competent at it than most this does cause the band to lose themselves into the scene somewhat with this type of attack.

Though there’s a few minor issues to be had with the overall originality and creativeness of the bands’ style, there’s little wrong with the rest of the bands’ attack leaving them to quickly approach the top of this crowded field as this will undoubtedly appeal to any fanatic of old-school death metal or the South American scene in particular.

Score: 86/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://dunkelheitprod.bandcamp.com/album/dispersae-et-tormentvm

Necroabortion - The Mutation Process

Artist: Necroabortion
Release Title: The Mutation Process
Year: 2016
Label: Disembodied Records
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The Mutation Process
2. The Scavengers' Feast
3. War Puppet
4. Dreams Spectator
5. Veiled Strings
6. Horrid Crossbreed
7. We Are the Plague
8. Forced Involution
9. Will To Power
10. Eviscerated from Life
11. Oscura Encomienda

Certainly having their share of lineup issues, Argentine death metallers Necroabortion have really been felled from capitalizing on their debut with these issues and has held them up for nearly a decade. Finally dropping their second guitarist for this release to settle on a devastating three-piece assault and featuring the same ferocious attitude, their new album comes out August 4, 2016 independently.

Despite their South American heritage, it could easily be forgiven for thinking the band hails from Florida circa-1995 such is their chosen attack structure. With tight, technical rhythms running along in frantic patterns that takes a full-on grinding approach to the steady tempos here, and it’s all straight from that particular playbook. Hammering out the technicality in their riff-work yet keeping it all within the realms of what’s needed within the arrangements rather than to showcase how rapidly they can change their riffing patterns keeps this diving along through frenzied patterns and dynamic up-tempo chugging rhythms which offers a nicely varied approach that’s wholly appreciative here with the approach giving this some dynamic crunchy rhythms alongside the frantic blistering blasts that are also offered up with a conviction and energy that’s appealing. It is certainly possible to tell where it’s going in terms of the arrangements, though, as the one main downfall of the band is the fact that they take those rhythms so explicitly that it really doesn’t offer forth a really original vision or approach regardless of the competency of their attack. This is really carried over as well into the album’s rather curious ability to really just end their tracks so suddenly that it’s almost jarring rather than ending naturally and it’s somewhat disarming when being blasting by a ferocious lead or a dynamic blast section only for a sudden end to the music to occur which really places emphasis on that last-played note and it really causes them to stick out even further. Still, to be this good after the layoff and struggle is quite commendable.

Though it does have some minor issues here and there when it comes to really carving out their own niche, sometimes just a competent and enthusiastic approach is enough to lift it up enough to listenability which gives this effort a wide berth of appeal to fervent fanatics of the Floridian approach to death metal or most of the revivalist bands in this style.

Score: 84/100

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

Horror Chamber - Eternal Torment

Artist: Horror Chamber
Release Title: Eternal Torment
Year: 2016
Label: Distro Rock Records
Genre: Retro Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Beyond the Unknown
2. Eternal Torment
3. Rise of the Dead
4. Prelude to Perdition
5. Dawn of Madness
6. Believe in the Faith (Burn)
7. Blood Obsession
8. Perverse Mind

In existence since 2004, Brazilian death metallers Horror Chamber has had sporadic releases since with only a demo and an EP before this new release, after a seven-year delay between these releases as well. This debut full-length, released April 24, 2016 on Distro Rock Records, this contains eight total tracks including two brief instrumentals of churning old-school death metal.

This here manages to nicely capture the old-school feel and tone of the early death metal scene quite nicely with the riffing taking a large majority of that feel. Whipping along at frantic, fervent tempos with primitive thrash stylings as the main choice of attack, there’s a violent intensity dragged out of the riff-work when it remains at those mid-tempo paces yet generates even more greater feelings when it fires up the paces into a far more generous and blasting pace. Offering far more blastbeat-driven rhythms and churning riff-work alongside the tight patterns and thrashing arrangements that makes for a wholly more engaging and appealing experience buffered together and are generously chosen to accentuate select areas of the tracks rather than just barrel along as would be more obviously utilized in the writing which greatly benefits a more veteran approach than expected. Even slowing down the tempos into lurching, doom-like paces for the solo sections works nicely by contributing to the oppressive old-school atmosphere while enhancing the overall heaviness apparent elsewhere in the rhythms, all of which is greatly appreciated. Still, there’s the minor issue here of this one suffering two minor problems, first in the fact that there’s two brief, minute-long interludes here that really don’t need to be featured here as the other flaw, featuring only eight tracks in total, means that every available space must be maximized to generate lasting impact, and wasting that time on two non-essential throwaway breaks like that in the space crunch that it’s already under seems quite illogical as it holds this to a few original tracks that seems over before it really started. Otherwise, this one really has a lot to like.

Despite suffering a few minor issues that are not in the slightest bit concerned with their performance but rather their rather curious  inclusions in the end leaves this one really impressive overall that should wholly appeal to any aficionado of South American death metal, old-school death metal or extreme metal in general.

Score: 88/100

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