Tag Archives: Brutal Death Metal

MURDER INTENTIONS (Bel): “A Prelude to Total Decay” full-length Cd 2009 Soulflesh Collector

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This might not be the latest work by Murder Intentions from Belgium. According to what I read, they also released an EP last year even though it doesn’t sound radically different from this album, what I write here can also be said for this new work (but thank you Soulflesh Collector for the promo). I might be particularily uninspired today but even after a second listen, I can’t but state that… they sound to me likewise uninspired. The very first thing that blossoms in my mind right now is that these guys must probably be quite young, the kind of young that makes you consider Pantera a strongly influencing band for Death Metal, you know. They certainly have a lot, and I mean a lot, of tempo changes and riffs and growls and screams and what have you, with a super-thick, massive sound which perfectly suits the crushing mid tempos and occasionals slam beats, yet they seem to be missing the non-stop barrage sound of more established names like famous neighbors Pyaemia or Disavowed). This is a band that probably focused its efforts on variety and complexity. and mind me, they are probably doing it properly too, but I am probably not going to pick this record up for the next car trip. This is the problem with 5th generation Death Metal: it might sound technically perfect,, but missing a spark of either energy, or utter brutality. The sound is thick and very metallic, with the distorted bass giving an extra layer of thickness to the overall heavy groove, almost Skinless-like when the singer growls during the heavies breakdowns. Yet, generally speaking sometimes less is more. In any case, good product, but won’t take place in my shelf. Good work with the booklet, even though I have seen this layout of work ever since the times of Corpse Gristle and Ablated, maybe it is time to level up here as well? Lyrics are not written in the booklet, but generally deal with the complete unleashing of energy and fury into destructive force. It’s undeniable that Murder Intentions have a good deal of blasting energy, it just sometimes fall in unexpected directions.

MURDER INTENTIONS (Bel): “A Prelude to Total Decay” full-length Cd 2009 Soulflesh Collector

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This might not be the latest work by Murder Intentions from Belgium. According to what I read, they also released an EP last year even though it doesn’t sound radically different from this album, what I write here can also be said for this new work (but thank you Soulflesh Collector for the promo). I might be particularily uninspired today but even after a second listen, I can’t but state that… they sound to me likewise uninspired. The very first thing that blossoms in my mind right now is that these guys must probably be quite young, the kind of young that makes you consider Pantera a strongly influencing band for Death Metal, you know.

They certainly have a lot, and I mean a lot, of tempo changes and riffs and growls and screams and what have you, with a super-thick, massive sound which perfectly suits the crushing mid tempos and occasionals slam beats, yet they seem to be missing the non-stop barrage sound of more established names like famous neighbors Pyaemia or Disavowed). This is a band that probably focused its efforts on variety and complexity. and mind me, they are probably doing it properly too, but I am probably not going to pick this record up for the next car trip. This is the problem with 5th generation Death Metal: it might sound technically perfect,, but missing a spark of either energy, or utter brutality. The sound is thick and very metallic, with the distorted bass giving an extra layer of thickness to the overall heavy groove, almost Skinless-like when the singer growls during the heavies breakdowns. Yet, generally speaking sometimes less is more. In any case, good product, but won’t take place in my shelf.

Good work with the booklet, even though I have seen this layout of work ever since the times of Corpse Gristle and Ablated, maybe it is time to level up here as well? Lyrics are not written in the booklet, but generally deal with the complete unleashing of energy and fury into destructive force. It’s undeniable that Murder Intentions have a good deal of blasting energy, it just sometimes fall in unexpected directions.

IMPOSER (Ita): “Divine Intolerance” Ep Cd 2010 Butchered Records

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Imposer is another excellent band from my land. I haven’t got the chance to hear their full length released a couple of years ago (same NY based Butchered Records apparently) but I suppose the two songs on this MCd are pretty close to that sound. The only recording I had the chance to hear was their first demo-Cdr and that was at the time I still ram a shop, which translates to about 10 years ago. From what I remembered, they had a Krisiun-like sound and I liked it pretty much, but my memory is getting fuzzy on that time. I had the chance to see them live as well, at least twice, and they delivered solid brutal Death Metal the late ’90s way. So here it is: two new tracks plus two covers, or at least I presume it’s two as one is a famous Deicide cover and the other one is by “Heaten/Lifecode” which I think is a local band.

Everything is deliciously packaged: I absolutely adore the cover art as I have a weak spot for icons, symbols and woodcut-like medieval prints. You don’t get lyrics but the overall quality of the layout is quite good. I would have preferred a slightly different, less modern font on the booklet, but it’s not really that relevant.

 

The two tracks we have here are as straightforward as Death Metal can be. I think they might call it War Metal today, but since that was a term they used for “Panzer Divison”-era Marduk I am uncertain on using it. To be clearer: during the end of the 90’s when the whole sound was selling out like a whore all in a sudden we had bands like Diabolic, Centurian, Angelcorpse, Throneaeon, Infernal Torment, Exmortem etc. and Satan incinerate me if Imposer does not fit that school of relentless Death Metal without frills. It was a scene that exploded out of a violent rejection for the ever mellowing sound that was the rule at the time, and I am pretty sure it was a clear statement of intent. Imposer‘s sound is some sort of cross between Krisiun, Diabolic and earlier Deicide without the wimpy solos, but also skipping the excessively retro-worship of these days. I am pretty grateful we have bands like this going on today. The two tracks that make up the first half of the album are as solid as a boulder, but I have to admit I am not extremely excited about the slight turn they gave to “Sacrificial Suicide” and if there’s a weak spot here it’s definitely the Heaten/Lifecode track, which contains possibly the worse, sloppiest, most moronic riff I have heard in months – what the hell is that mid tempo “happy go lucky” dance? In my book this is no big deal as it’s not a track of theirs yet I am puzzled how they came up with covering this shit.

To wrap things up you can’t really find anything more coherent and proudly War/Death than this in my country. Two songs might be a bit too little to spend money on, but if you want a sample of what this band is capable of, here it is. Fuck god.

DEFEATED SANITY (Ger): “Psalms of the Moribund” Lp Cd 2007 Grindethic

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I am not an incredible fan of cold, mathematical, technical brutal Death Metal – American style. But when it is played properly, it is able to raise so much intensity and thickness you really cannot get with other forms of standard Hard Core and Metal. Defeated Sanity‘s sophomore “Psalms of the Moribund” delivers hard and efficiently, an incredibly thick carpet of frighteningly intricate guitar work, guttural stone-grating vocals and hyperblasting drums. I think I even saw them live once but for some reason I completely overlooked them. It might be since this is not the kind of bands I like to see in an open air gig where the sound is dispersed in the ether.

The sound on “Psalms” is deep, bass heavy and suffocating, the kind of sound that coupled with non stop constant blasting and curving leaves no breathing space whatsoever. The production as said before is rather sludgy and mucky, but to me it fits finely, it almost as you can see the meatcleaver chop and hack and truncate chinks of flesh from a cadaver. Not a total swamp like in Enmity, but almost. The riffing is impressive, you got an half gazillion leaks, harmonics and squeaks in the middle of all this fucking calculated chaos. I cannot but recommend this shit for all those into hyper-intense Brutal Death where skill and musical ability is at the service of intricacy without bending to the necessity of making the sound softer. There are just 3 or 4 wigger slam riffs a la Devourment in the whole Cd, all the rest is non stop barbarity. Very, very good.

The cover artwork looks real good, however I got this promo on a shitty Cd-ROM with xeroxed cover, I cannot give an opinion of the packaging or the lyrics. I hope one day labels will realize having some promotion on a webzine might be worth sending a 2 dollars Cd instead than a 2 dollar Cd-ROM.

BLASPHERIAN (USA-Tx): “Allegiance to the Will of Damnation” Ep 12″ 2007 Die Todesrune

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Oh my, I am really getting tired of listening to only good bands these days (ah ah)? Seriously speaking, Blaspherian is another of those bands you really do now want to miss from the freshly renewed scene of real Metal of Death: a band that walks the fine line between doomish Death Metal a la Autopsy and Winter and Brutal Satanic Death a la Imprecation, Incantation, Vital Remains, Hibernus Mortis etc. Deep, infernal vocals creep out of a wall of sound made of sludgy riffs and nastily twisted, low tuned distortions – these songs are glorious hymn of blasphemy, obscure and foul, no frills or guitar wanking, just blasphemy. As usual, we’re reminded that you don’t need overly complex guitarwork to make the Death Metal alchemy work – most of these songs are relatively straightforward, but at the same time full of grim dark force. You got all the powerful crunch without the shitty slam wiggerish shit if you know what I mean. This is definitely how Death Metal is meant to sound like. Maybe it is just lacking a little bit of that eerie, disturbing feel of early Incantation to be really perfect (you know, that hidden, malicious vibration), but we’re definitely splitting the hair. If we talk about American bands, this is definitely one of the best I heave heard lately, as the real Death Metal movement seems to be mostly an European thing recently. Blasphemous, deep Death Metal for lovers of dark sounds and guttural brutality.

This album has been released by Die Todesrune, an otherwise pretty inactive label for what concerns true Death Metal, apart from Crucifier from what I remember. They also have a split 7″ out right now on Hell’s Headbangers, sharing vinyl with the excellent band Evil Incarnate. Next to be released is another 7″ by the name of “Unholiness Unleashed” and a second full length by the name of “Infernal Warriors of Death”. No need to say this is the stuff for which is worth spending your money.