It feels like its been forever since the last review (sorry about that), I've been busy with some behind the scenes work, so I figured I'd bring back another triple feature! This week I'm bringing you a whole batch of disgusting and violent death metal, so sit back, crack open a beer, and get ready to bang your heads!
Savage Necromancy - Savage Necromancy (2019)
Crawling from the depths of hell, clad in armor made of bones and sin comes Savage Necromancy, a four-piece black/death/war metal act hailing from Phoenix, Arizona. You may hear "war metal" and might want to keep scrolling, thinking this may not be for you, but god damn it I am begging you to give this album a listen. Somewhere between a demo and an EP, this powerhouse stands strong at around 15 minutes in length, fitting as many bone snapping riffs and head slicing blast-beats as they can, and in the most tasteful of ways. The production is punchy and the band doesn't stick to long drawn out moments of mindless shredding, once you get adjusted to the fast tempo blast-beat section, they smash you over the head with some chunky, bass-y riffs. The vocals give a slight nod to Archgoat, delivering those brutal, gravelly, textural low growls. The music is definitely death metal, but has its toes touching just deep enough in the realms of black metal and the abrasive attitude of war metal to make this an insanely interesting listen, plus the Slayer-style discordant, fast as fuck ending is truly something that will have you coming back for more.
Artist: Savage Necromancy
Album: Savage Necromancy
Label: Independent
Rating: 7.5/10
Cryptic Rising - Elegies of Repugnance (2020)
Cryptic Rising pulls forth this vile collection of auditory terror from the filth and grime of the underworld in the form of Elegies of Repugnance. This two-piece from Nashville, Tennessee offers a head banging, primitive, echoing cavern style of brutal death metal that at times starts to step into death/doom territory, reminding me of Eternal Rot and Hooded Menace, but much filthier. The vocals have that distinct guttural toilet-y sound where not a single word is distinguishable, turning the vocals more-so into another instrument rather than a vessel for lyrics. What's really great about this record is the constant back and forth in the instrumentation between an old school and new school sound. At times the guitar work has that lighter tuning and soaring riffs that you would hear in a band like Autopsy, or similar to bands partaking in this old school death metal revival like Witch Vomit or Ossuarium. Then the guitar tones take a deep dive into the filth, really bringing that down tuned, crunchy guitar tone that I normally associate with modern day death metal and brutal death metal (bands like Coffins and Putrevore come to mind). The production in the drum department is a bit lacking in my opinion, the kick drum, the snare, and really anything that isn't the cymbals really get buried in this mix and it's a shame, because I know that with some punchier drums, the songs would really have that extra pop. Aside from some minor issues with the mix and the occasional desire I have for some variation in the vocals, this album is great if you want something to bang your fucking head to. This album was also one of the first tape releases from Stump Grinder Records, so if you love cassettes, go get your copy while supplies last!
Artist: Cryptic Rising
Album: Elegies of Repugnance
Label: Independent
Rating: 6/10
Visceral Mass - Visceral Mass (2020)
Hacked up in the corner of a cold, wet basement lies this four-track demo from Los Angeles duo Visceral Mass. You may have heard of this album already due to their partnership with the now legendary Maggot Stomp, through which they released this beauty of metal mayhem. To make things super straight forward, this album is absolute Mortician worship through and through, from the brutal death metal grunts and growls, to the horror movie sound clip, and finally that massive, buzzing guitar tone that cuts right through you like a chainsaw. This demo is absolutely spot on, the production is handled perfectly in making things sound brutal and raw without losing any of the songs' integrity. Despite this being only 4 songs total, the little touches like the horror movie clip in the song "Flesh Eating Deceased" and the theatrical 80s sci-fi synths in "Verses of Perversion" make this such a fulfilling listening experience. As mentioned earlier, Visceral Mass is bringing forward a gore-filled Mortician style of death metal, but they also bring some sounds and riffs that you'd hear from a Scorched song, which brings a very welcomed flavor of alien/cosmic horror to the mix. I am absolutely blown away by this release and am anxiously awaiting a full-length from these guys, and you should be too. Keep those eyes peeled!
Artist: Visceral Mass
Album: Visceral Mass
Label: Maggot Stomp
Rating: 8.5/10