This week I've been in the most bloodthirsty of moods to listen to death metal and watch horrifically gore-soaked horror movies, and so I rummaged through the filth to bring you five killer death metal releases to jam out to this weekend!
Repulsive Death - Cavern of Pestiferous Decay (2021)
Wrapped up in some of the filthiest and disturbing artwork I've seen this year is Cavern of Pestiferous Decay, the latest EP from Costa Rican trio Repulsive Death. This two song EP delivers 12 minutes of death metal that, like any good horror movie, gets right to the action and keeps things interesting. The band plays some straight forward old school death metal that's been tinged in the dark, gloomy atmospheres of death/doom, but will suddenly introduce some fantastic thrash metal guitar-work. Finally, to finish the job, their vocalist, Tommil, brings a Carcass/Impetigo style sound with death growls that quickly turn to gory, maniacal squelching and zombie-like moans from the graves. Repulsive Death has released one killer EP, and I hope to hear more from these maniacs soon because this stuff is too damn good! Go support these guys and jam some gory Costa Rican death metal!
Artist: Repulsive Death
Album: Cavern of Pestiferous Decay
Label: Psychogrind Records
Rating: 7.5/10
Infected Religion - Screaming Into The Void (2021)
Infected Religion brings you back into the early days of grindcore, where the Punk-meets-Death Metal DNA of the genre was at its most apparent. This 2021 release brings you 10 very fast minutes of that old school sound, listening to them easily brings to mind Repulsion's "Horrified" with that lighter, crust punk guitar tuning matched by the speed and ferocity of death metal with blast beats, and occasionally intersected by some thrash metal gallops. The vocals comfortably dwell in both the death metal and punk camps respectively, harmonizing lead thrash/death metal style vocals with those classic punk-style backup vocals. Songs like "Hermetic Cenotaph" and "Sick Mind" really embody the essence of what Infected Religion is going for, delivering on the heaviness, the speed and the attitude! They recently released a split with Mark Riddick's band Fetid Zombie, so you know Infected Religion is legit, unlike those countless weird grind projects you find floating around the internet. Keep your eyes on Infected Religion and check out the rest of their discography if you're looking for more of that awesome speedy punk-fueled grindcore sound.
Artist: Infected Religion
Album: Screaming Into The Void
Label: Independent
Rating: 6.5/10
Disembowel - Echoes of Terror (2020)
Maggot Stomp has done it again with this amazing find with Disembowel from Portland, Oregon. Their LP Echoes of Terror busts you upside the head with one of the most concussively percussive mixes I've ever heard. I worry that if I play this album on some really good speakers, my body would just fucking explode from those dense kick drums and the razor sharp riffs that would turn my flesh into mincemeat. Disembowel continue that Autopsy low-end-heavy death metal style that we hear nowadays from bands such as Fetid, Cerebral Rot, and most recently on the new Morbific album. The guitars are chunky, cutting through your ears and into your brain like a rusty hacksaw. While Disembowel may not have the most original sound, they write absolutely killer death metal that keeps true to the spirit of the genre and I love and respect that 100%. I keep finding myself gravitating back to this album time and time again and I think you will too the second you hear it so go check out this album and support these guys!
Artist: Disembowel
Album: Echoes of Terror
Label: Maggot Stomp
Rating: 8/10
Spasticus - Horror Chaos Death (2021)
Spasticus have arrived from Sicily to deliver this monstrosity upon humanity. About 20 minutes long and packaged in some of the sickest fucking art I've seen in a while, Spasticus serve up some vile deathgrind with some faint traces of thrash metal rhythms. The speed and aggression crossed with the strange and experimental death metal vocals make me think of "Homovore" era Cattle Decapitation and Impetigo (not to mention them twice in the same review but... whatever! Long live Impetigo!). Horror Chaos Death delivers some bass and drums forward production with guitars that rev up like an engine ready to take off. This album balances brutality, speed, gore, and attitude rather perfectly, flawlessly weaving these sounds together from one passage to another, constantly keeping your head banging and your blood pumping. Spasticus is a filthy, heavy band that you'll want to have in your collection, and they have a limited run of cassettes up on their bandcamp so act fast to get your copy! Go jam Horror Chaos Death this weekend and bang your fucking head!
Artist: Spasticus
Album: Horror Chaos Death
Label: Rotted Life/ Unholy Domain
Rating: 7.5/10
Infestment - Human Altar (2020)
Infestment are another one of the lesser recognized artists from the Maggot Stomp roster. I happened upon this rancid one man band while scouring around during one of the last Bandcamp Fridays, and man am I glad I did. Instrumentally, Infestment is early Cannibal Corpse worship through and through with some subtle Reign in Blood inspired riffs from time to time. What makes Infestment truly unique though are the airy, dry death growl vocals that sear the eardrums and make the skin crawl from your bones. The guitars are up close and personal, surrounding you like a hungry predator while the pummeling drums go in for the kill. The album is in and out in a matter of minutes, unfortunately, but from what you do get, this album rips. I mean, putrid death metal that harkens back to "Eaten Back to Life" and "Butchered at Birth"? Count me the fuck in! Go show this album some love, there are still a ton of vinyl left over on Maggot Stomp's bandcamp so if you're looking to add some underground filth to your collection, look no further!
Artist: Infestment
Album: Human Altar
Label: Maggot Stomp
Rating: 7/10