DEATHTOBER 2020

 DEATHTOBER 2020

I decided I needed to do some deep diving into some death metal as Fall is upon us. So in that spirit, I bring you Deathtober 2020 - A playlist and collection of musings about death metal albums made over the past 4 years or so. Just in case you were hankering for some new DM to listen to, I did the hard work for you. I used several sources in picking this list. One, personal favorite veteran bands with whom I had relatively stopped listening to, and two - Kerrangs 50 greatest DM bands right now: 

Kerrang List

I will give yah what I got so far, but I intend to cover my whole Playlist. Oh yeah, please follow my list, I may update it. Deathtober Spotify List 

By the way OSDM = Old School Death Metal

Incantation - Sect of Vile Divinities 2020

Sometimes if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. SoVD definitely takes that approach. However, I feel this one is a slightly less inspired work than the excellent Profane Nexus, but there were a lot of haters on that record, so what do I know? There are still plenty of in-your-face-slow-as-shit doom passages here as well as the token Incantation blasts. It’s definitely Incantation - satisfyingly east coast old school DM in 2020.

McEntee’s voice is plenty low and guttural with enough of that “putrid” factor that I really look for in my growler. It could use a muddier mix on the guitars, but overall SoVD is an admirable 12th album from a band who were slinging it back in 92. Good leads, harmonies, and riffs-a-plenty. Love those double vocals on “Chant of the formless Dead.” And there’s nothing like a nice sludgy Incantation groove like the bulk of “Unborn Ambrosia” - Pus-drenched, slow oozing death metal - just like you remember it. If there’s a gripe, maybe it’s that we’re a bit generic here. I mean, they are trailblazers - should we expect more? I’m conflicted, because I love the Incantation sound and don’t really want them to do anything about it.

Call it: legit old school east coast death metal done by legit old school east coast guys.

Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance 2019

Probably a weird move going from Incantation to these Canadians who obviously worshiped at the throne of 90’s East Coast American metal. Not a bad thing mind you, just very similar in approach. While Klebanoff keeps it guttural, it’s a little less nuanced than McEntee’s putrid snarl. Let’s not say TM is a rip-off of Incantation, they have plenty of old school influences in there with some Suffocation and even Leprosy-era Death on the riffage.

As far as these revival bands go, I think Tomb Mold is fast becoming my go-to. Their production is so satisfyingly muddy without sounding like the old days of audio limitation. In other words, that sound guy knows what he’s doing. It feels savage and far from sterile without being indecipherable.

“Infinite Resurrection” feels like a standout. It starts with such ferocity and never really lets up. “Cerulean Salvation” starting like Open Casket - made me smile. These guys write a very effective brutal tune - nice transitions and breakdowns. I think there’s a lot to be said for using that blastbeat sparingly. It’s effective, but bands that just rail on it for 3 minutes are missing the point. TM uses it the right way - sparring blasts to keep you pummeled.

Call it: Respectable Revival/ retro OSDM that sounds like it was recorded in 1992

Skeletal Remains - The Entombment of Chaos 2020

Stupid album title with kickass Dan Seagrave cover art. These California guys have been getting a lot of buzz in the DM user groups. Old school band comparisons are all over the map, but I instantly think of Covenant-era Morbid Angel. when I hear them. Instant gripe is the ultra triggered drum kit which I know is the mainstay for most of these groups. The kick sound will simply always bug me.

While SR are certainly competent, I fail to see why they are getting so much attention. They sound like everything Morbid Angel did in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Same tempo changes, vocal cadence, breakdowns. The only thing that is really missing is Trey’s scorching solos - SR’s lead fall into the much more standard category. They may need time to grow on me, but currently I don’t know how they standout from the rest of the pack.

Call it: serviceable but generic throwback OSDM with too much polish on the mix.

Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race 2019

This Colorado band had the top DM release on a ton of lists last year, so why not check them out?With the futuristic alien cover art, I’m ready for something a little different. The Tech-heavy approach hits immediately, but with a blend of savagery and melody that somehow all works together. Riedl’s is a sufficient bark, capable of some good bellows but nothing out of the ordinary. The star here is the technical proficiency and the impressive songwriting. Faulk behind the kit is the real hero - staggering beats and blasts into something altogether new and attention-grabbing. The band isn’t afraid to slow it down, get melodic, and then hit you with the full throttle.

I would almost compare them to Demilich at times, but thankfully without the bowel-tone vocals. And also, bring on the hate, but Demilich couldn’t really make a tune hang together like these guys can. There is an impressive level of compositional skill on display here. Here’s a band that is getting hype that I believe is quite deserved and I am genuinely stoked to see what they do next. Oh... and nice logo. Wrong genre.

Call it: real solid technical progressive death metal with plenty of brutal moments.

Necrot - Mortal 2020

More Californians in the retro DM scene. Necrot probably own one of the more anticipated releases of 2020 after their debut caught everyone by surprise. These guys tend to lean more towards the Swedish side of things, with the exception of obvious comparisons to fellow Californians, Autopsy.

Mortal is a fairly no-frills, straight ahead death metal album - good breakdowns, grooves, the occasional blast and melodic lead break. “Sinister Will” has some great hooks and a good slam part in the middle. Also, it bears mentioning the production is nice and muddy - not too clean or sterile which makes a big difference for this style.

I don’t know... might’ve been all the hype, but color me a bit underwhelmed. It’s good, but it’s not gonna top my list. I’ve spun it a few times now, but several of those, I forgot to pay attention to it. That’s a bad sign.

Call it: enjoyable retro-revival OSDM that was overhyped and ultimately somewhat forgettable.

Benighted - Obscene Repressed 2020

Probably more on the Grind side of things, these Frenchmen are crazy. Rapid fire artillery-grade drums pummel with double vocals ranging from growl to screech to those famous pig squeals. This is vicious and straight up chaotic stuff.

According to some other reviews I read, this album is apparently subdued compared to some of their earlier work so... I’m impressed, and a bit frightened. It’s in and out in under 40 minutes and thankfully so, to be honest. This type of grind is like chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream for me. The first bite is delicious and the best thing I ever ate, but half way through I want to throw the overly sweet shit in the garbage.

Call it: full tilt, in-your-face death grind that wears thin after a bit.

Ulcerate - Stare Into Death and Be Still 2020

Hipsters don’t want to call these guys death metal because they think the genre is somehow beneath them. But make no mistake, Ulcerate is a death metal band. Hailing from New Zealand, one can find a variety of influences in their music, Gorguts, and even some Suffocation or Immolation. The most direct comparison is probably abstract contemporaries Portal, but Ulcerate feel rather conventional in comparison to them.

Sure there are black metal elements at play here - mainly the reverb-heavy vocals and guitars. It’s a sneaky trick to develop undertones and make the sound bigger than it actually is. I guess the key word is atmosphere... and Ulcerate do it very well. The voices sound like they are coming from the grave as the guitars twist over a wash of percussion. “Exhale the Ash” has a nice midsection where things almost go full improve jazz in the structure. There’s snippets of melody, but nothing more than glimpses in between the rage-filled bursts.

Thinking man’s death metal? Sure... I’ll buy that. There is certainly some thought put into this sucker and a worthy listen. I’m not sure it deserves all those “album of the year” comments but, people love to hype shit up don’t they? Once you dig deep into this sucker, it starts to sound a bit monotonous- hitting those same scales that are definitely distinctive - but that’s why you know you just heard them in the last tune.

Call it: Moody atmospheric progressive death metal that could stand to be a little shorter or at least more varied.

Cattle Decapitation- Death Atlas 2020

Travis, please stop singing like a goblin cartoon character. You have one of the most diverse and flexible growls / screeches / screams in the business. I don’t want you to sound like a budget Devin Townsend as you try to incorporate vocal harmonies into a band named Cattle Decapitation. I would say, no one turns to this band for that sort of thing, but yet this thing is getting loads of praise. Go figure. I guess this is my “okay Boomer” moment, but my favorite tune is Vulturous because it has no ridiculous singing parts on it.

I loved Monolith. It was used sparingly and as an enhancement. Now... it’s like the feature of every tune and I’ll tell yah - the music may be great, but I just can’t bring myself to care. Call me stubborn. But with a band with a catalog with winners like Humanure, Karma Bloody Karma, and Monolith of Inhumanity, I cant see myself wasting time listening to this instead. Let me know when Travis has given up on this little phase of his.

Call it: a disappointing turn for a once top tier band

Gatecreeper - Deserted 2019

Arizona’s Gatecreeper decided to start playing Dismember covers for a group of kids who didn’t know who Dismember were. All joking aside, GC is super duper Swedish in their approach, but this new album hides it a bit better - sounding more original while keeping the initial appeal of the throwback sound. The guitars maintain that trademark Sunlight Studio sound, reminding an old schooler like myself of a simpler time when high school English paper due dates and head-game playing girls were my biggest concerns. The songs slam, they hit that midtempo groove with expert ease and the album is an easy one to throw on at any time.

“From the Ashes” has some sweet guitar harmonies beneath the fury and the punkish plodding goes well with the beefy guitar work. GC really key into everything that made early 90’s Swedish Death Metal special, and I hope they’re not offended that I consider them more of an effective tribute band than an original act. Regardless of what you call it, it slays. Worth a listen.

Call it: a derivative but enjoyable homage to the old school Swedes.

Morbid Angel - Kingdoms Disdained 2017

When a band releases an album like Illud Divinum Insanus, which is universally blasted by their entire fan base, they really only have two choices. Hang it up and call it a day, or return to form and chalk it up to a failed experiment. Morbid Angel chose the latter (after releasing a live album from their heyday of course). The result is, instant relief, of course. But, truth be told, KD ain’t a bad record in its own right. Sandoval is gone, but the new guy does a fine job on the skins and Tucker is back in full throat.

Trey proves he can still shred and can still right a decent DM tune. Architect and Iconoclast, For No Master, and The Fall of Idols all rock pretty hard with his distinctive broken gallop riffing. This is in line with Gateways for me. It’s a decent record and encouraging when a band listens to their fans.

Call it: a welcomed return to form after a failed experiment.

Exhumed - Horror 2019

A goregrind band at their heart, these Californians flirted with some death metal on their last few outings. Not the case with Horror. This is a grind record, fairly straightforward, back to their earlier style. Exhumed embody all the fun elements of a b-grade splatter movie in audio form. Their live shows are a blast and while the case can be made that there won’t be any music theory assignments to dissect this work, I certainly respect the art form and it’s a fun record to put on if you wanna let off some steam and throw some shit around the house.

Call it: A fairly standard but fun-as-hell goregrind record from one of the genre’s veterans.

Sewercide - Immortalized in Suffering 2016

These Australians with a really cool name were unfortunately short-lived, this being the only
Full length release I can find from them. It’s got a mid 90’s Florida sound to it, with some Pestilence and occasional flairs of Fisher-era Cannibal Corpse mixed in. A nicely produced slab of frantic DM with some thrash metal throw in and vocals that make me think of Malevolent Creation’s Brett Hoffman.

Sweet guitar tones and grooves in the “Snares of Carnality” - pogo-to blast-to groove-to pogo. “Acrimoniously Disharmonized” slows to a crawl at times, recalling classic Incantation. It’s fun stuff, if occasionally a bit derivative, but it’s everything that makes OSDM great. It’s too bad these guys didn’t stick around - would’ve been interesting to see where they went with this.

Call it: really well executed OSDM with great production, lots of change ups, and solid writing.

Fulci -Tropical Sun 2019

Holy shit I love everything about these guys: the band name, the cover art, the Italian Horror (Zombi2 scenes oh boy!) sample intro, the Tomb of the Mutilated type vocals, that punchy snare... man these guys are great. And they’re from Italy, that just makes it so much more legit.

This stuff is like a meaty Italian sub - drenched with all the lovely stuff that makes OSDM so damn fun. Their entire discography to this point seems like a love letter to one of their namesake’s films, this one is obviously Zombi 2 which suits me fine. Awesome drum mix, crunchy guitars and that lower than low vocal - this album rocks. Midtempo DM for the most part - just blast “Eye Full of Maggots” and know the awesomeness.

Call it: A death metal love letter to Lucio Fulci that rocks in an early 90’s OSDM way - an album that simply checks all the boxes.

Revel in Flesh - The Hour of the Avenger 2019

If the Entombed song band name didn’t key you in, these Germans play Swedish-style Death Metal however a tad more melody-driven than Entombed, probably closer to the more modern stuff. They’re very approachable, listener friendly DM. I could see them playing with Amon Amarth very easily - it’s that kind of DM / fists in the air, scream-along tunes, but without all that Viking stuff. Some tracks are a little slow and repetitive for my tastes, but it’s not particularly offensive. “Death blow” is a nice rocker, reminiscent of early Bloodbath. “Pervertin Speed Kill” hits a nice midtempo punk groove that makes the Swedish style so recognizable. “The Nightbreed” plods along and shows the bands strength of melody and groove.

If I’m going to put RIF against the other two Swede-worshipers on this list so far, Necrot and Gatecreeper, I’m giving Gatecreeper the nod for being more musically interesting with the near-perfect production. That said, Revel will no doubt please fans of the other two mentioned acts.

Call it: Accessible Swedish throw back (from Germany) that will appeal to fans of that fist banging anthemic death metal stuff.

Witch Vomit - Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave 2019

Great band name, album title that makes you double take, Portland, Oregon? Okay, I’m intrigued. Initial impressions include Autopsy and Incantation- vocals from the depths of hell and atonal riffs washing over a pleasingly muddy mix. I am so stoked there are bands recording drums the old school way - none of that super sharp kick drum nonsense. The kick is there, but it sounds like a damn kick drum and doesn’t get ridiculous during the blast beats.

Enough of that though. Witch Vomit is awesome. The song structures are nonlinear, the riffs are all over the map and there are enough hooks to keep you interested. Man that ending on “Deep Veins” those vocals are so damn low and the riff is so morbid sounding. “Fumes of Dying Bodies” rages, stops, starts, grooves, it covers a ton of ground in 3:35, not to mention tackling a difficult topic. Awesome stuff. These guys draw from enough old school influences that you can’t really pin them down as being a copycat of any of them. Broken Hope, Obituary, Dismember, Incantation, I could go on... they are an all star combination all their own and they’re definitely making my playlist.

Call it: Grimy and essential OSDM that will melt your face off.

Fetid - Steeping Corporeal Mass 2020

You’d imagine a steeping corporeal mass would indeed be fetid. These guys are also Pacific northwesterners - Seattle / Portland, and they also tend towards that 90’s New York sound ala Incantation, Immolation, Suffocation. Another band with a decent muddy mix and just savage sounding guitars. The vocals are that Craig Pillard (early Incantation), unearthly demon / monster growling from slightly below the ground kind of style. That seems to be popular nowadays, but I have no complaints. I believe it adds a ton to the music and atmosphere.

Whereas Witch Vomit sounded like a nice blend of influences, Fetid clearly worship at the throne of Incantation - not only in vocal style, but overall song structure, production, and riffing. It’s good stuff, just maybe suffers from sounding a tad derivative. Ferocious and evil sounding - check out “Dripping Sub-Tepidity” blasts of speed followed with slow-as-hell drops and a cavernous lead break; Monstrous vocals throughout the whole thing.

Call it: Early Incantation worship that gets the job done quite effectively with a perfect mix that sounds delightfully 90’s.

VHS -We’re Gonna Need Some Bigger Riffs 2019

Goofy death/grind is a necessary sub genre I believe, and it’s epicenter appears to be California at the moment. VHS are funny, decent musicians, and efficient Grindsters, I’m just not sure this stuff really does anything for me anymore. That probably sounds harsher than I mean it - I played in a joke grindcore band for over a decade, so I may just be done with the genre. These guys also fall into the punk side of things far too often for my tastes. If you’re gonna grind, then grind otherwise go crust punk, but don’t throw pop punk breakdowns into your grindcore... I just can’t hang with that. Regardless, I know there’s an audience for this, so enjoy.

Call it: Goofy grind with pop punk elements that just don’t mix for me.

Mortuous - Through Wilderness 2018

More Californians. I bet these guys hang with Fetid and Witch Vomit, because they all play the same type of DM. I can see them jamming shows together and even swapping members when someone is sick or doesn’t show. At any rate, they guys are fun. Very East-coast style, making me think of Immolation or Butchered-era Cannibal. Corpse. Good frantic stuff with the standard super low monster guttural vocals.

Some second guitar harmonies give it a bit of a Swedish flair, like Dismember or even early At the Gates, and again, the production is on point. I might have to research who is producing all these albums because holy cow, they sound so much better than all the sterile shit coming out of the majors lately.

Nice thick guitars rip a slow groove on “Chrysalis of Sorrow” crawling to a stop and then climbing slowly out of the grave. Mortuous love the slow groove and it really helps this album standout. These guys also blend enough varied influences to sound fresh and unique - which I find is the real key to success with the genre right now.

Call it: Another retro/revival OSDM record that combines enough varied influences to sound fresh - also, freaking stellar when they slow down to doom speed.