ALBUM REVIEW: Extremity, "Coffin Birth"

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 20/07/2018

Label: 20 Buck Spin

To put out an album that stands out in what feels like a tidal wave of high quality releases is no small achievement, and the band should feel immense pride in what they’ve created here. This is mandatory listening.

‘Coffin Birth’ CD//LP//CS//DD track listing:

1. Coffin Birth / A Million Witches

2. Where Evil Dwells

3. Grave Mistake

4. Umbilicus

5. For Want of a Nail

6. Occision

7. Like Father like Son

8. Misbegotten / Coffin Death

The Review:

As seems to happen every so often, we’re in the midst of a gigantic death metal resurgence. Top notch albums are coming out from across the globe and the songwritings as good as it’s ever been. The added benefit this time around is that it isn’t all from one particular sub-style. In the past we’ve seen resurgences in early Incantation worship, Stockholm sweddeath, and others beyond. This time around, it just seems as though death metal as a whole is experiencing an uptick, with a number of bands putting it all together at the same time, across a range of styles.

In a way, Extremity embodies the entirety of death metal’s 2018 rebirth. The sonically massive recording, the inclusion of a wide range of influences, but all under death metal’s larger umbrella. As the album goes along, the songs invoke something familiar, but never outright worshipping a specific band. You’ll hear something that would feel at home on a Bolt Throweralbum, or something that would feel at home on a Carnage or Unleashed album, and even early Deathrears its head in some of the harmonized guitar leads. On ‘Coffin Birth’, Extremity takes all of these different sounds, and brings them together into a single, cohesive whole, and it fucking rules.

Each song on ‘Coffin Birth’ feels like a journey, rather than a compilation of great riffs. The band rarely ever dwell on the same idea for long, and each new place a song end up keeps the song interesting. Just looking at “For Want of a Nail” as an example: the song opens up with a lurching, climbing double kick section, before the tempo kicks up somewhat as twisting, limber riffs keep up with Aesop Dekker’s thrashy beat. After that, the song launches into an utterly crushing breakdown, in which Aesop Dekker’s masterful sense of groove and feel take center stage, the moment made all the more powerful by a breakdown riff that’s up there with “Master Butcher’s Apron” off of Carcass’ ‘Surgical Steel’, meaning it’s among the best of this decade. That’s not to mention the fantastic solo work that immediately follows, though I’m not certain which guitarist to credit Marissa Martinez-Hoadley or Shelby Lermo for it.

There’s so much going on in each and every song, and none of it ever feels forced, nor do the transitions ever feel unnatural. Each song is an ever-mutating creature unto itself and yet unified as one greater whole. ‘Coffin Birth’ is the work of musicians who’re at the height of their creative powers, standing out and claiming their own piece of an exceptional time in death metal history. To put out an album that stands out in what feels like a tidal wave of high quality releases is no small achievement, and the band should feel immense pride in what they’ve created here. This is mandatory listening.

‘Coffin Birth’ is available digitally on CD, LP, or Cassette here.

Band info: Facebook

REVIEW: Crypt Rot - "Embryonic Devils" EP

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 28/04/2017

Label: Southern Lord

Just like Carcass, the guys in Crypt Rot are able to fuse stomach churning lyrics with memorable hooks.  In a mere twenty minutes, Crypt Rot manage to express their love of classic death metal, while embracing the disparate influences that may ultimately set them apart and above their peers.

“Embryonic Devils” DD//LP track listing

1. Segue

2. Chapters of Torment

3. Scaphist Waste

4. Coffin Birth: Postmortal Fetal Extrusion

5. Pit of Morbidity

6. Internal Organ Feast

The Review

               

Ohio is a strange place.  Ostensibly along the northern border of the United States, I’ve driven through it many times to see arrays of Confederate flags, pro-union bumper stickers, heard speakers blasting underground hip hop or seen punishing anarcho-punk shows in squalid basements.  Part of the so-called “flyover country”, it sits as a crossroads of urban and rural cultures.  Like many of these liminal spaces, it churns out fucked up outsider art at an alarming rate.

Take, for instance, Ohio’s Crypt Rot and their debut EP, “Embryonic Devils”.  Ostensibly a death metal band featuring members of Homewreckerand Scorched, Crypt Rotis simultaneously nostalgic for a simpler era of early death metal and an exercise in genre cherry picking.  Opening track “Chapters of Torment” fuses chaotic, borderline thrash riffing with hardcore breakdowns before culminating in ethereal, choral vocals that evoke the Fabrio Frizzi scores of Italian splatter classics.  “Scaphist Waste” ups the energy, pushing the limits of Izzi’s double bass assault, while “Coffin Birth: Postmortal Fetal Extrusion” highlights the melodic riffing of Sposito and DeDedemonic – like Carcass, the guys in Crypt Rot are able to fuse stomach churning lyrics with memorable hooks.

Yet it’s the latter half of the record, “Pit of Morbidity” and “Internal Organ Feast”, that got me most excited for Crypt Rot’s future.  Segueing from death metal riffs/growls to eerie acoustic guitars and Dioneff’s vocals, I was once again thinking of cult films like Just Before Dawn or The Burning, where the most pastoral moments often presage the most horrific events.  There are scads of bands churning out extreme metal, but few can pull of the tonal or genre shifts and maintain atmospheric consistency.  In a mere twenty minutes, Crypt Rot manage to express their love of classic death metal, while embracing the disparate influences that may ultimately set them apart and above their peers; it would be thrilling to see this play out across a future full length.  Until then, I’ll keep my eyes firmly set towards the rotted heartland, to see what fresh horrors Crypt Rot can summon next.

“Embryonic Devils” is available here

Band info: facebook|| bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Ghoul - "Dungeon Bastards"

By: Rick Ahmed

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 29/07/2016

Label: Tankcrimes 

So many bands try to do what Ghoul is doing and just can't fucking get it right. This is a perfect storm. Superior song writing, technical prowess, and an awesome aesthetic.

“Dungeon Bastards” CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Ghetto Blasters
02. Bringer of War
03. Shred the Dead
04. Dungeon Bastards
05. Ghoulunatics
06. Blood and Guts
07. Word is Law
08. Death Campaign
09. Guitarmageddon
10. Abominox

The Review:

My introduction to Ghoulwas 2007's “Splatterthrash”. I instantly fell in love with their take on thrash. Everything about it was perfect; the guitar tone, the riffs, the melodies, and especially lyrics. It was glorious. I kept my eye on them throughout the next few years; none of their other releases really caught my ear though. When the pre-order for “Dungeon Bastards” came up in my facebook feed with the bad ass Mark Richards' illustrated cover, green splatter vinyl, and fold out drinking game, I said fuck it. Even if this album sucks it's worth the cool ass packaging.

This album does not suck. This is probably the best metal album of 2016. No bullshit. It blows my mind how few bands can't make an album with 2 good songs, but these freaks managed to come up with 10 rippers. This is actually better than “Splatterthrash”.

The first song “Ghetto Blasters" begans with a sample from what I'm assuming is an old sci-fi movie. The Last line being, "The people blindly followed a man who would become a tyrant." which is creepy as fuck considering the outcome of our last election. The sample fades out and the thrash fucking metal begins. The urge to bang ones head is quite strong on this first track, which is basically one riff on repeat with a tasteful lead over a few measures. Which is perfect, thinkExodus type thrash if you must.

Song two "Bringer of War" opens with a solid blast and a riff that wouldn't be out of place on Carcass'“Heartwork”. The higher pitched vocals also bear a resemblance to Jeff Walker, which I'm not complaining about. The thing is, it never gets old with Ghoul, as they have a second guttural vocalist, as well as gang vocals, and a cast of characters they introduce throughout the album.

Like I mentioned earlier, every song rules. "Shred the Dead" is a solid thrasher. "Dungeon Bastards" starts with more Carcassfeels. My personal favorite song "Ghoulunatics" has an awesome guitar melody, as well as a sick thrash breakdown at about 2:41. A bonus is that it seems to be about idiots like me, "an army of losers, the worst of the worst, to march to our orders and buy all our merch". As for the rest of the album, the hits keep coming. Just listen to the damn thing already!

So many bands try to do what Ghoul is doing and just can't fucking get it right. This is a perfect storm. Superior song writing, technical prowess, and an awesome aesthetic. My only fear is that people won't care to look past the masks and theatrics. These guys should NOT be written off as another gimmick band. That's what everybody did with Gwar, who also made amazing albums, but were under appreciated as anything more than a spectacle. That would be a damn shame as these dudes have the ability to churn out quality thrash!! LONG LIVE GHOUL!!

“Dungeon Bastards”is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

FFO: Impaled, Carcass, Exhumed, Gwar

TRACK PREMIERE: Bone-crushing Calgary four-piece Krepitus voice "The Decree of Theodoseus"

Bone-crushing Calgary four-piece Krepitus are challenging the relationship between death and thrash metal with their trademark downtrodden technical riffs and fierce agressive vocals. They have been constantly playing with opposing elements and creating a stable compound of death-fused thrash since their beginnings in 2013.

 The group is comprised of Teran Wyer performing double duty on guitar and vocals; a tortured soul bound to his music. Matt Van Wezel is the second sniper, hitting each guitar note with precision and complementing the already harmonious riffs. Curtis Beardy pulls the tone down to the depths of hell with his steady hand and low register bass riffs. Finally, Harley “Rage” D’orazio kicks everything into overdrive possessed by grinding rhythms and accenting every solo on his drum kit.
 

Each member stands like a pillar; strong and sure in their own sound, but all standing to support the structure that is Krepitus. They have since performed with acts like Expain, Depths of Hatred, and Aegaeon and have competed in the Wacken Metal Battle Canadawhile writing their debut album.

They have since completed said album and are planning to release it Friday, November 25, 2016. Pre-orders can be made via their bandcamp here and today we can exclusively debut the opening and throat ripping new song “The Decree of Theodoseus” which you can check out below.  RIYL: Dissection, Death, Carcass, Dark Tranquility, Deicide

“The Eyes of the Soulless” track listing:

1. The Decree of Theodoseus (6:46)

2. Apex Predator (3:28)

3. Exile (7:48)

4. Sharpen the Blade (5:33)

5. Eyes of the Soulless (6:16)

6. Desolate Isolation (5:39)

7. Erroneous (4:55)

8. My Desdemona (6:04)

Band info:Krepitus.com || Twitter || Facebook ||  Youtube