Deathtober Part 4

 

Krypts - Cadaver Circulation 2019

Finnish DM band that’s been at it since 2008. Traditional stuff without a real Direct comparison of that jumps out at me. They lean towards doom and slow burns, really heavy down-tuned mix with reverb-heavy vocals that verge on black metal at times (think, traditional Finnish black metal like Beherit - in fact maybe Beherit is a decent comparison, but definitely a cleaner mix).

This is a really decent record that makes me want to explore their other releases. It’s definitely on the Doom side of things: melt your face off slowly metal with shades of Godflesh and all things heavy and super slow.

Call it - Doom-Death that sounds heavy as hell with a lot of atmosphere and space in the mix.

 

Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation 2019

Second full length from these Philadelphia death metalers. A grisly album cover and 9 tracks with somewhat generic sounding titles, the mix on this thing is a train wreck. That vocal effect is disastrous- sounds like they wanted “brutal-as-fuck” but it ends up sounding completely distorted with all manner of enunciation or variation just mixed out of it - it’s borderline static at points. The guitars play tremolo single-string riff after another while the drums follow that generic Butchered at Birth half blast beat thing.

While there may be ambition here, there is truly nothing that will make me come back to this one. There are no real hooks to speak of - just generic-sounding dm atonal speed. And as the album wore on, I just found myself hating that vocal effect. Bad move guys.

Call it - a rather generic, low budget sounding dm record that is completely ruined by a distorted vocal effect.

 

Cognitive - Matricide 2018

A New Jersey band with a name that suggests a progressive bent towards death metal, Cognitive are progressive in that Dying Fetus sort of way - still very primal and heavy, but with plenty of technicality. Flirting with Grindcore at times, Matricide will definitely appeal to fans of the aforementioned Dying Fetus, using both screams and growls for vocals (the singer is not nearly as talented as DF, but he does a respectable job). The music also drifts from blasts to heavy groove-laden passages, covering all ends of the heavy spectrum. It’s tech death without being overly pretentious and also not afraid to get melodic here and there.

Apparently these guys have a few albums before this, but they still appear to be rather obscure. There are times where they almost sound like deathcore, but then they switch to a very traditional sounding lead break. It is decidedly more new school than old, but should appeal to fans of both.

Call it - a modern sounding tech death album, blasts and grooves with a technical proficiency.

 

Vircolac - Masque 2019

Undoubtedly the most unique band on this list so far, Irish Vircolac play a progressive flavor of DM for which I struggle to come up with a decent comparison. The vocals are definitely Necroticism-era Jeff Walker, over a very live and DIY sounding mix. The kit sounds very natural and the guitars are more overdriven than distorted, making for a very unusual sound.

Gothic horror is the theme of the lyrics and song titles, and the writing is also very distinct and unique. Songs run through blast-beats, slow grooves, and fractured phrases. The title track starts like an early Christian Death song, if not for the vocals, nice touches of goth and atmosphere. This is a tough one for me to digest quickly - it took me a minute to figure out how I felt about them, but I think, in the end, I’m a fan.

Call it - very unique progressive metal from Ireland with an equally unique mix.

 

Mortiferum - Disgorged from Psychotic Depths 2019

A Doom / Death debut from another Pacific Northwest band, and another impressive first-time outing. I think this particular offshoot of DM is probably the most exciting right now, as it carries old school vibes while still feeling fresh and original. Disgorged... starts out at a crawl and slowly picks up speed through the album, to the point of a blast-beat in the closing track. The standout track for me is “Funereal Hallucinations” which achieves a nice Bolt Thrower-esque groove.

I can’t help but draw comparisons to Incantation with these doom acts, because I think they were the first to use such extremely slow speeds in the genre. Mortiferum certainly hit that sound well - vocals in the sewer and guitar strings just hanging off of the neck. The slow chugs also allow for more space in the mix to create atmosphere - the aural equivalent of wandering through a dimly lit tomb. I always start out being underwhelmed with the doom bands, but by album’s end, Mortiferum had won me over.

Call it - slow-as-hell Doom/Death with an atmospheric mix.

 

Descresy- Towards Nebulae 2019

6th full-length from this Finnish act who also tend towards the doom / death hybrid. Vocals are reminiscent of Mortician - running so low that, at times, you’re unsure if they are actually vocals. There might be some digital effects going on here, they fall into the spooky monster category. Musically, they sound like classic Bolt Thrower with a lower voices. There are moments of speed, but thanks to the mix, they become a jumbled mess. I’m entirely sure the drummer is keeping up either (maybe they’re doom out of necessity).

There are steady second guitar harmonies throughout Towards Nebulae. While this might be what makes them distinctive, it also makes for repetitive sounding tunes. Honestly, the guitar harmonies range from unnecessary to slightly irritating.

Call it - a seasoned Finnish doom act with super low vocals and repetitive tunes.

 

Scorched - Ecliptic Butchery 2018

Sophomore effort from this East coast throwback band, following the traditions of 90’s Florida DM. There are moments reminiscent of classic Morbid Angel and Autopsy. This is running long with bands of this ilk, but it’s not Scorched’s fault they were towards the bottom of the list. Lots of change ups in tempo, meaty riffs, and bottom of the barrel vocals make for a nice traditional-sounding album.

Call it - classic OSDM with good production, decent song-writing skills, and a nice deep growler.

 

Venom Prison - Samsara 2019

Sophomore album from a British band with a female growler. Venom Prison play a crazy brand of chaotic tech death with post Vincent-era Morbid Angel as a templet. But it’s not fair to pin them down, because VP cover a ton of ground in a single song. They change up the every few measures throwing in fracture stops and starts. They are the tech-Death I can get behind, however, because they write riffs and not just tech-heavy “look how fancy we can be” nonsense.

Given the right mood Venom Prison is super satisfying and impressive. Their songs shouldn’t hang together, but they do. Put them on your watch list because they have the potential to be big and deserve attention.

Call it - Crazy tech-death with very impressive writing and hooks aplenty.

 

Horrendous - Idol 2018

These guys play my favorite type of progressive death metal - similar to Atheist and mid-to-late era Death. The vocals and bass work are super similar to Atheist, but Horrendous are far from sounding like a rip-off. They write through-composed tunes with technical know-how and dynamic progressions. Shades of early Opeth slip in here and there - an album for those who like occasional breaks in the brutality. Idol is the 4th album from this Philadelphia band, so I will definitely be checking out the back catalogue.

Some could argue the “roots” era of progressive death metal has been thoroughly explored, and I suppose that’s a valid argument. But bands like Obscura and Horrendous are not exactly plentiful, so I say, embrace it.

Call it - a well-executed callback to the early days of progressive death metal.

 

Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology 2018

A British band whose spelling begs to be pronounced as if you have a speech impediment, Slugdge does not hide their main influence of Gojira very well. This is their fourth effort and apparently they come from black metal roots, however one would not guess that while listening to this album. There are shades of early Opeth and Mastodon, and I can’t escape the Gojira comparison - particularly certain passages. Just listen to that opening minute of The Spectral Burrows. Ultimately though, they end up combining most of these influences in an unique way.

It’s tricky reviewing a fourth album for a band that may be transitioning to another sound, but that’s what I committed to. And, I’m not saying Esoteric Malacology is not worth a listen, it is well done and tackles a particularly advanced form of Prog DM. At the album’s conclusion, I’m left thinking they will need further exploration - I am intrigued.

Call it - a modern progressive DM album that maybe nails the most popular bands’ sound of that genre a little too directly on the head.

 

Beyond Creation - Algorythm 2018

I threw these Canadians at the end of my list because they are listed at the top of Obscura’s similar artists list, so I won’t bother discussing that obvious connection further than saying - yup. So, as a band that sounds just like one of my current favorites, I am intrigued in this and the other two records on their discography.

Starting with an intro that sounds more
like film music, BC goes from there into a very tight , intricate, and melodic form of tech death. Blasts and change ups throughout every track, this is a dense album that will require more play throughs for me to fully decide if it’s just a copycat, or if it warrants sharing the table with the masters.

Call it - A Canadian tech death album that falls directly in line with Germany’s Obscura.