The Horde

Maybe it's because I've been listening to a lot more melodic, cleaner stuff like the new Hath, Immolation, or Allegaeon for my Death Metal recently, but this was the exact kick in the teeth I needed to break up the monotony. Diabolical Summoning is one of those Death Metal records that knows how to keep the energy going for the entire runtime and, at the same time, keeping the runtime short enough to not run out of steam. As has been already said, the riffing is great, the drum production is some of the punchiest I've heard and sits right in my preferred middle ground of being just chaotic enough to keep the listener guessing while still laying down the necessary double bass rhythms to keep the guitars moving. The other attribute I'm starting to pick up on for my favored Death Metal releases is the effortlessness of all the transitions, and wow are there a lot of them in this record. Each track is bursting with all kinds of different riffs and sections that chaotically flow together seamlessly in a way I can't really explain. It's a bit barebones for me to give it absolutely massive praise, but this is definitely an overlooked one, as everyone else has said.

4/5

Thanks Daniel, they all sound like perfectly feasible reasons. Strange how strict drinking laws are in The States, which could have been a factor as you say, not just the opening hours restrictions (they were still very strict here in the UK at that time), but also age restrictions. Don't you have to be 21 to buy booze in a lot of states (or at least had to be back then)? Plus, in most of Europe when the cops came to break up a rave they just chased people off and maybe gave them a slap ot two, they didn't turn up fully armed looking for a Waco-style shoot-out, as seems to be the MO of a lot of police forces in the US!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=247d95020fd04eaa

Tracklisting:

01. Kanonenfieber – “Die Schlacht bei Tannenberg” (from “Menschenmühle”, 2021)

02. Before The Dawn – “Fear Me” (from “Deadlight”, 2007) [Submitted by Ben]

03. Allegaeon – “Into Embers” (from “Damnum”, 2022) [Submitted by Ben]

04. Damaged – “Token Remedies Research” (from “Token Remedies Research”, 1997)

05. Schizophrenia – “Cranial Disintegration” (from “Recollections Of The Insane”, 2022)

06. 7 Horns 7 Eyes – “Divine Amnesty” (from “Throes Of Absolution”, 2012) [Submitted by Daniel]

07. Napalm Death – “Narcissus” (from “Resentment Is Always Seismic - A Final Throw of Throes” E.P., 2022)

08. Mortiferum – “Incubus Of Bloodstained Visions” (from “Preserved In Torment”, 2021)

09. Ritual Necromancy – “Enter The Depths” (from “Ritual Necromancy/Fossilization” split E.P., 2022) [Submitted by Ben]

10. Earth Rot – “Towards A Godless Shrine” (from “Black Tides Of Obscurity”, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Immolation – “Into Everlasting Fire” (from “Dawn Of Possession”, 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Corpsegrinder – “On Wings Of Carnage” (from “Corpsegrinder”, 2022)

13. Nile – “The Black Flame” (from “Black Seeds Of Vengeance”, 2000) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Tribulation – “Sacrilegious Darkness” (from “The Horror”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Aeon – “Aeons Black” (from “Aeons Black”, 2012) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Morbid Angel – “Garden Of Disdain” (from “Kingdoms Disdained”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

17. Ulcerate – “We Are Nil” (from “Everything Is Fire”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Hath – “All That Was Promised” (from “All That Was Promised”, 2022) [Submitted by Ben]

19. The Amenta – “Mictlan” (from “Mictlan” E.P., 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Cannibal Corpse – “Compelled To Lacerate” (from “Gore Obsessed”, 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Blood Red Throne – “Altered Genesis” (from “Altered Genesis”, 2005) [Submitted by Daniel]

22. Suffocation – “Surgery Of Impalement” (from “Souls To Deny”, 2004) [Submitted by Daniel]

23. Abominable Putridity – “Intracranial Parasite” (from “In The End Of Human Existence”, 2007)

Glad you guys enjoyed it.  I do not have a lot to add to my existing review. I picked up on Vastum with their debut release back in 2011 and got to a point where I picked up most of what they put out right up until I heard Orificial Purge and just got bored by it really.  Hole Below was their last great release for me and I found Patricidal Lust a bit lacing in terms of comparison with the debut.  I toyed with dropping the debut as my featured release but I went for this in the end as a more modern reference.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=758eb6d6637341d9

Tracklisting:

01. 200 Stab Wounds – “Path To Carnage” (from “Slave To The Scalpel”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

02. Shadow Of Intent – “From Ruin… We Rise” (from “Elegy”, 2022)

03. Atræ Bilis – “Bacterium Abloom” (from “Apexapien”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

04. In Mourning – “At The Behest Of Night” (from “The Bleeding Veil”, 2021)

05. Entombed – “Serpent Saints” (from “Serpent Saints - The Ten Amendments”, 2007)

06. Venom Prison – “Comfort Of Complicity” (from “Erebos”, 2022)

07. Psycroptic – “The Colour Of Sleep” (from “The Scepter Of The Ancients”, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]

08. Begravement – “Valley Of Everlasting Darkness” (from “The Anaphylaxis Demo” demo, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

09. Angelcorpse – “Wolflust” (from “The Inexorable”, 1999) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Unleashed – “Blood Of Lies” (from “Midvinterblot”, 2006) [Submitted by Ben]

11. Gorguts – “Disincarnated” (from “Considered Dead”, 1991) [Submitted by Ben]

12. Nekrovault – “Eremitorium” (from “Totenzug: Festering Peregrination”, 2020) [Submitted by Ben]

13. Rot – “Fatality?” (from “Cruel Face Of Life”, 1994)

14. Mörser – Doom (The Divine Gift)“” (from “Two Hours Of Doom”, 1997)

15. Malignant Altar – “Belial Rebirth (Metempsychosis)” (from “Realms of Exquisite Morbidity”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Deicide – “Lunatic Of God’s Creation” (from “Deicide”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

17. Morbid Angel – “Cleansed In Pestilence (Blade Of Elohim)” (from “Heretic”, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Cannibal Corpse – “Unleashing The Bloodthirsty” (from “Bloodthirst”, 1999) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. Shapeshifter – “Black Liquid” (from “Dark Ritual”, 2022)

20. ZONΞ ΞATΞR vs §E▲ ▓F D▓G§ - “It Swallows” (from “ZONΞ ΞATΞR vs. §E▲ ▓F D▓G§”, 2017)

21. Gruesome Malady – “Malodorous Ejaculation” (from “Infected With Virulent Seed”, 2003)

22. Virum – “Tentacles Of The Sun” (from “Illuminance”, 2016) [Submitted by Ben]

23. Internal Bleeding – “Despoilment Of Rotting Flesh” (from “Voracious Contempt”, 1995)

24. Putrid Pile – “Drenched In Gasoline” (from “Collection Of Butchery”, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Immolation – “Apostle” (from “The Age Of No Light”, 2022) [Submitted by Ben]

26. Deeds Of Flesh – “Three Minute Crawlspace” (from “Gradually Melted” E.P., 1995)

27. The Amenta – “Flesh Is Heir” (from “Flesh Is Heir”, 2013) [Submitted by Daniel]

28. Lock Up – “Feeding On the Opiate” (from “Hate Breeds Suffering”, 2002) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Infected Malignity – “Revenge To Capitalism” (from “The Malignity Born From Despair”, 2006)

30. Concrete Winds – “Nerve Butcherer” (from “Nerve Butcherer”, 2021)

Is that really two Christian death metal bands featured in the same month?

7 Horns 7 Eyes brand of progressive death metal is heavily doom influenced, groovy and melodic. Perhaps it is to the album disadvantage then that I expected this to hit with a little bit more force. As I discussed in my brief review of the Revolution featured album for the month, deathcore was not my scene during my formative years, but all my friends were getting into it. I was exploring the world of Djent at the time and The Contortionist was one of the few acts that I could honestly enjoy bridging the gap for. Breakdown sections during songs like "Phumis: The Falsehood of Affliction", "A Finite Grasp of Infinite Disillusion" and "Delusions" sound as if they were borrowed right out of The Contortionist playbook. The later of those two songs contains a very elaborate guitar solo during its second half over a death doom instrumental in an attempt to appeal to the guitar elitists. 

I think it becomes the most apparent to me as the album is coming to its conclusion, from around "The Winnowing" through "Regeneration". Nothing in the death metal playbook says that it has to be blistering fast tempos 100% of the time. But here's the thing: I started losing interest as the album was just going to play it safe the rest of the way. There are no deviances from the formula displayed on the first seven tracks: no extended breakdowns, no atomic drops, no blast beats. And it infuriated me further as I went back and listened to the album again and noticed that the rest of the album felt exactly the same! "The Winnowing" plays such a tease during its bridge, then returns right back to the same paint by numbers formula as before.

But the album's closer "Regeneration" set it in stone: this is a guitar wank album. Not that there is anything wrong with guitar wank albums; they can be done incredibly well if given the proper focus. And I still do like this; I fall into a similar position as Xephyr when it comes to the kind of technical/progressive death metal we prefer. And hearing what is essentially Swallow The Sun/My Dying Bride with uncommon time signatures and quasi Djent breakdown passages is pretty damn cool. But it fails to keep me engrossed for its entire runtime. Another fine example of "great in moments, but not as a full album" I'm afraid.

7/10

Altarage's "Succumb" album just pipped "Imperative Imperceptible Impulse" at the post for my The Horde release of the year but that doesn't stop it from being a deserved winner nonetheless. The class & ambition of that record are nothing short of astounding.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=9486cc7ebc7f452d

Tracklisting:

01. Krisiun – “The Will To Potency” (from “The Great Execution”, 2011) [Submitted by Vinny]

02. Dungeon Serpent – “Necroscope” (from “World of Sorrows” E.P., 2021)

03. Voidceremony – “Entropic Reflections Continuum” (from “At The Periphery Of Human Realms” E.P., 2022)

04. Dark Tranquillity – “Insanity’s Crescendo” (from “The Mind’s I”, 1997) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Edge Of Sanity – “Enigma” (from “Unorthodox”, 1992) [Submitted by Ben]

06. Devoid Of Thought – “Sidereal Necrosis” (from “Outer World Graves”, 2021)

07. Revocation – “The Outer Ones” (from “The Outer Ones”, 2018) [Submitted by Ben]

08. Hypocrisy – “Worship” (from “Worship”, 2021)

09. Autopsy – “In The Grip Of Winter” (from “Retribution For The Dead” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Carcass – “Hepatic Tissue Fermentation II” (from “Tools Of The Trade” E.P., 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Undergang – “Hjerternes Tid” (from “Cadaveric Incubator/Undergang” split E.P., 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Cadaveric Fumes – “The Stirring Unknown” (from “Echoing Chambers Of Soul”, 2021) [Submitted by Ben]

13. Genocide Pact – “Led To Extinction” (from “Genocide Pact”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Shadow Of Intent – “Gravesinger” (from “Melacholy”, 2019) [Submitted by Ben]

15. Hyperdontia – “Lacerated & Bursting” (from “Hideous Entity”, 2021)

16. Anachronism – “Orogeny” (from “Orogeny”, 2018) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Cannibal Corpse – “Devoured By Vermin” (from “Vile”, 1996) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Succumb – “Maenad” (from “XXI”, 2021)

19. Abysmal Dawn – “In Service Of Time” (from “Leveling The Plane Of Existence”, 2011) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Aborted – “Skullfuck Crescendo” (from “Engineering The Dead”, 2001 [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Cretin – “Freakery” (from “Stranger”, 2014) [Submitted by Daniel]

22. Cryptopsy – “Defenestration” (from “Blasphemy Made Flesh”, 1994) [Submitted by Daniel]

23. Putridity – “Conceived Through Vermination” (from “Ignominious Atonement”, 2015) [Submitted by Ben]

24. Abominable Putridity – “A Burial For The Abandoned” (from “The Anomalies Of Artificial Origin”, 2012) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Cannabis Corpse – “Mummified In Bong Water” (from “Tube Of The Resinated”, 2008) [Submitted by Vinny]

Altarage's "Succumb" (I assume that's what you were referring to Vinny) was my AOTY too until this morning when the Fange record saw me changing my tune late in the game.

Correct.  Raging toothache at present so heavily dosed on ibuprofen  and not typing to my best.

Malignant Altar are already familiar to me with their second demo from 2019 already adorning my music library. I recall picking them up around the time that Maggot Stomp started to make waves in the underground, with MA being one of the many OSDM bands that inhabited that filthy roster of theirs.

Retaining the same line up as the first two demo sees the band able to build on the promise of the more crawling and cavernous death metal nicely. This sounds like a band who have played together for a while; showcased nicely on the flowing opening to Usurping the Pantheon Crown which feels tight. The track itself then shifts through various stages of nefarious death metal, replete with some Morbid Angel-like sonics thrown in casually like Trey Azagthoth just did a drive-by sonic shooting through the studio almost randomly as they recorded the track.

With comparisons with the style of Azagthoth and co almost inevitable, it is only fair to point out that there is more to the Malignant Altar palette than just some benign old school worship. You will get hits of Cianide, Incantation, Dead Congregation as well as more modern references like Tomb Mold and Cerebral Rot thrown into the mix. As such Malignant Altar are a band who seem to know very much where they sit in the death metal spectrum; able to nod to their influences and their peers alike in a very assured acknowledgement of their surroundings.

The ghastly vocals of Wilson P are reminiscent of Craig Pillard and are the perfect accompaniment to those huge riffs. These gargantuan slabs of death metal riffing are underpinned by an agonising melodic wail at times (Ceremonial Decapitator) that coat proceeding in a desperate atmosphere of anxiety and hopelessness. I do not really care that the album does not change that much in terms of its formula, I find there are enough subtle nuances from track to track that I pick up on with repeated listens to keep me entertained and coming back for more. In some regards, its appeal is not always as obvious as I first thought, and it is one of those records that rewards with repeated listens.

Realms of Exquisite Morbidity is a fantastic celebration of death metal that commemorates what has come before it whilst saluting the modern scene also. No fucking frills death metal is alive and well and living in Houston, Texas.

4.5/5

This months list was another fine cross-sectional representation of The Horde I thought.  Particular highlights for me were Brujeria, Pestilence, Gorement, Bloodbath, Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Dead Congregation and Devourment.

The technical stuff didn't work too well for me.  First Fragment are an excitable bunch aren't they?  Neo-Classical metal and technical death metal are two genre tags that didn't fill me with much hope but I lasted until the funky bass slapping section and then got the hell out of there.  At near 18 minutes I would need a power-nap after that.

I believe that was one of the "enhanced interrogation" techniques employed at Guantanamo Bay up until it's abolition by the Geneva Convention!

I first heard Cretin as part of a forum "tape swap" we did years ago on the now defunct Terrorizer forums. I was not that into their particular blend of death metal and grindcore and so found the couple of tracks from the album Freakery to be a bit too much for my listening tastes at the time. Over time, as my tastes have gotten more extreme I actually find them to be one of the more structured grindcore bands out there based on their albeit limited output over the years. I prefer them to the Brutal Truths of this world for example and benchmark their style to being more akin to Repulsion style grindcore as opposed to a Carcass style for example (indeed vocalist/guitarist Marissa was guitarist in Repulsion 2011 - 2013). Somehow Cretin manage to walk that fine line between an all out auditory assault and still giving you enough form to nod your head along to appreciatively (in years gone by that statement would have read "bang your head along to", but those days are long gone for me - oldie alert!)

The band's typical lyrical content of perversions and humorous characters continues on Stranger with tracks such as Sandwich for the Attic Angel (a woman's dead husband turns out to be living in the walls of her house), Mr Frye, Janitor Guy (one seriously pissed off and suicidal, turd-collecting Janitor) and We Live in a Cave (pretty self-explanatory - I mean it is not a tribute to Fraggle Rock) all highlighting the bizarre and dark comedy of the band perfectly. Musically the band are tight and relentlessly savage in their delivery of one of extreme music's most primitive formats. Considering Elizabeth Schall (who joins Marissa on guitar duties) is from well-established melodic death metal band Dreaming Dead, she puts in a rowdy and abrasive performance here backed up the core percussive unit of founding member Matt Widener on bass and former Repulsion and Exhumed drummer Col Jones who together create a swarming backdrop of beats and unearthly rumbles that gets punctuated by wild sonics through a wall of solid as fuck riffs.

Always sporadic with their output (the band have been around since 1992 but only released a demo in 2003 after disbanding in 1996 so Widener could join the Marines), Stranger is only the bands second full-length and this was seven years ago now so we are long overdue further nuggets of joy from the guys who are still considered to be active. Despite the gap since the release of the album, it has aged well and is just as in your fucking face today as it was back in 2014. The world needs more Cretin please.

4/5

Nile and I have a rough history. Back when I was first exploring the more extreme parts of Metal they inevitably came up on whatever search I was doing and man, did I not like it. After a few years of trudging through more and more Metal subgenres, I wonder how things have changed for me? 

...somehow, someway, nothing's changed. There's just something about Nile's sound that is so uninteresting and bland to me that, after reading all the praise from the seasoned Horde members, I really tried my best to get into this album the best I could. Sadly there's something about the vocal style, the chaotic riff structure, or just the songwriting in general that just doesn't jive with me. I don't get invested in hardly any of the riffs, the bombastic orchestral breaks are just dull...I think it's safe to say that this is a me problem and not an everyone else problem, considering I have quite a few technically impressive Death Metal albums I thoroughly enjoy. My 3 or so old score, disappointingly, still stands. 

3/5

Well, better late than never, here I am to praise another superb playlist for The Horde this month.  Bubblegum fucking Octopus aside, there was not a lot not to love here.  Anything from Repulsion is a sure fire winner for me and dropping Cryptopsy, Pestilence and Naplam Death in here made me smile muchly.

My most impressive "finds" of the list are Sermon of Flames and Defacement and I will be checking out more from both acts imminently.

OK, so please don't get mad any of you Necrophagist fans out there, but after the vocals kicked in on opener Stabwound I just burst out laughing. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, but I've been feeling in a strange mood today and as I thought I'd better get through the features, I decided to listen to Epitaph this evening. At the aforementioned point in the album, I just pictured the band playing with extremely frowny faces and thought bubbles saying something like "shit, we are SO intense, man" and the inherent ridiculousness of the human condition must have overwhelmed me. I have no axe to gring with Necrophagist, I've never listened to them before, but they just painted such a vivid picture for me that I couldn't help myself. And before anyone points out the fact, I include myself in the being ridiculously intense about metal camp. How could I not with all the utter bollocks I write about music?!

Anyway, as for the music in question - it really isn't my thing unfortunately. I find overtly technical death metal never really "get's going", it just sounds too stutter-step to me and as such I can't get into it. 

Apologies all round, I don't know what's got into me today at all.

Here's my updated list:

01. Morbid Angel - "Altars of Madness" (1989)

02. Death - "Human" (1991)

03. Suffocation - "Pierced From Within" (1995)

04. Immolation - "Close To A World Below" (2000)

05. Dragged Into Sunlight - "Hatred For Mankind" (2009)

06. Suffocation - "Despise The Sun" E.P. (1998)

07. Carcass - "Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious" (1991)

08. Dead Congregation - "Promulgation Of The Fall" (2014)

09. Morbid Angel - "Blessed Are The Sick" (1991)

10. Death - "Individual Thought Patterns" (1993)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/125

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=69764d6abe0644e9

Tracklisting:

01. Altarage – “Altars” (from “Nihl”, 2016) [Submitted by Vinny]

02. Carcass – “Flesh Ripping Torment Limited” (from “Torn Arteries”, 2021)

03. Acausal Intrusion – “Transcending The Veil” (from “Nulitas”, 2021)

04. White Stones – “Chain Of Command” (from “Dancing Into Oblivion”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

05. Arch Enemy – “Nemesis” (from “Doomsday Machine”, 2005) [Submitted by Ben]

06. Runemagick – “Dethrone The Flesh” (from “Enter The Realm Of Death”, 1999) [Submitted by Ben]

07. Unbounded Terror – “Dreamlord” (from “Nest Of Affliction”, 1992) [Submitted by Vinny]

08. Funebrarum – “Perish Beneath” (from “The Sleep Of Morbid Dreams”, 2009) [Submitted by Ben]

09. Canker – “Hand of God” (from “Earthquake”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Teitanblood – “Whore Mass” (from “Seven Chalices”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Avulsed – “Sweet Lobotomy” (from “Eminence In Putrescence”, 1996) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Diskord – “The Endless Spiral” (from “Degenerations”, 2021)

13. Dipygus – “Plasmoidal Mass (Slime Mold)” (from “Bushmeat”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Haemorrhage – “Traumaggedon” (from “Hospital Carnage”, 2011) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Qrixkuor – “Serpentine Susurrus - Mother's Abomination” (from “Poison Palinopsia”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Vital Remains – “Dechristianize” (from “Dechristianize”, 2003) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Drumcorps – “Better Days” (from “Better Days” E.P., 2021)

18. Antediluvian – “Obscene Pornography Manifests in the Divine Universal Consciousness” (from “The Divine Punishment”, 2021)

19. Socioclast – “Surveillance/Normalization/Examination” (from “Socioclast”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Machetazo – “Revientas” (from “Ruin”, 2013) [Submitted by Vinny]

21. Effluence – “Unholy Liquid” (from “Ballistic Bloodspray” E.P., 2021)

22. Wormed – “Tautochrone” (from “Exodromos”, 2013) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Nile – “In The Name Of Amun” (from “What Should Not Be Unearthed”, 2015) [Submitted by Ben]

Well then, this thing is a beast, isn't it? You'd think I'd have the same reaction as Saxy and Sonny considering my disposition towards the more brutal, suffocating, and fiery styles of Death Metal, but this one caught me off guard. Although some of the more ruthless sections didn't exactly keep my attention past the first listen, I personally think this is a very complete album in what it tries to do. There's a ton of depth and massiveness to the production that absolutely sound messy and chaotic, but I found that to be a positive at the end of the day in the context of Succumb. The lack of clarity really helps the standout riffs to pop out of the mayhem in cool ways. It's sort of a shame that the vocals are completely lost behind everything else, serving as another slightly different layer than actual vocals. The drumming is in the perfect spot for me too, being powerful enough to be felt but not being absolutely piercing like so many other albums like this. 

Compositionally Altarage nails it because while the 21-minute closer is admittedly a bit of a snooze-fest after the first listen, Succumb sets up for it extremely well with tracks like "Foregone", "Lavath", and "Vour Concession" containing hints of the coming Drone Metal excursion. Those slight hints do a ton to have the eventual transition feels like it fits in with the rest of the album. Even though I'm capable of giving a ton of praise to this one, I can't say that I'm in a rush to go back and listen to it though. It's one of the more captivating brutal walls of chaos I've listened to, but I don't think I'd be able to get any extra enjoyment out of it past the 3 or 4 listens I've given it. So although this started out as a 4/5 for me, I feel like I can't keep basing my rating off of my first experience with it alone. 

3.5/5

Molested - "Blod-draum" (1995)

OK, so here's a release where I've never really understood the appeal. 1995's "Blod-draum" debut album from Norwegian death metallers Molested seems to be regarded as somewhat of an underground classic these days but it all sounds like a bit of a mess to me. The band have certainly achieved a genuine graveyard atmosphere here however the song structures & arrangements are so chaotic & the performances so loose that I struggle to make much sense of it all. The super deep Incantation style death growls of front man Øystein G. Brun (also of Borknagar) are great & the guitar tone is superb for this style of extreme metal however this only makes it easier to hear how sloppily executed everything is. Then you've got the use of traditional folk music here & there which fails dismally on the atrocity that is the three minute title track. What a surprise that an instrumental folk piece doesn't sound amazing when smothered in poorly executed blast beats! Whoever would have guessed? On paper Molested should be right up my alley but I'm sorry to say that the reality is a little bit underwhelming. There are some really brutal & decidedly unusual moments on "Blod-draum" but they're unfortunately weighed down too heavily by it's failings. 

For fans of Incantation, Miasma & Portal.

3/5

A few choice cuts this month.  Loving the Deicide and Bolt Thrower inclusions and some 90's bands that I need to check out more including Skeleton of God and Blood.  I still can't get on with Messiah no matter how much I try and Hate just don't float my boat unfortunately.  The new Blood Red Throne has loads of promise though and I do need to properly check out the latest Grave Miasma as it keeps slipping down my to do list.

I was in dire need of some violence & brutality to revitalise my metal mantra when I finally returned to extreme music after a decade in the electronic music wilderness in 2009 & this requirement was promptly met in no uncertain terms by the 2000 third album from New Jersey grindcore act Discordance Axis. “The Inalienable Dreamless” unapologetically beat my brains in with a jackhammer & left me wondering if the entire scene had gone insane in my time away. Strangely, I haven’t returned to it since so a revisit has been well overdue for many years now.

In classic grindcore style, “The Inalienable Dreamless” comprises of a full 17 tracks but takes just 23 minutes to pummel you into submission. It doesn’t muck around either because this is some of the most ridiculously abrasive material you’re likely to find in extreme metal & this isn’t just due to the awesome blasting drum performance of talented skinsman Dave Witte whose amazingly powerful performance is highlighted by a brilliant understanding of how to use his ride cymbal to further accentuate his blast beats. Front man Jon Chang unsurprisingly screams his fucking guts out & there’s a spasmodic chaos to this record that borrows heavily from mathcore acts like The Dillinger Escape Plan in order to create an added layer of interest with the use of odd time signatures & more angular riff structures taking the album to new levels of interest & intrigue.

Despite pushing past the majority of its peers as far as pure savagery goes, this really isn’t your average grindcore record. It’s much more sophisticated than that & sports a production job that offers the perfect balance of clarity & extremity. The fact that I often find myself looking back at each track & wondering how the band have managed to stuff so much substance into such a short period of time is a sure sign of a superior grindcore act. It's worth mentioning that this is not the type of album that I feel like sticking on all that often though as it fits a very specific niche & does it particularly well to say the least as you’ll rarely find a release that possesses more energy, violence & chaos than this one. These are some of the primary requirements of good grindcore music too which makes "The Inalienable Dreamless" one of the most effective examples of its type. In fact, I’m gonna go so far as to say that it’s just slipped past Pig Destroyer’s “Prowler In The Yard” to snatch the honour of being my all-time favourite grindcore release these days so it should be essential listening for anyone interested in the genre.

For fans of Gridlink, Fuck The Facts & Antigama.

4/5

I first became aware of Mexican outfit The Chasm through a South American tape trader way back in the mid 1990’s & didn’t mind their first couple of doom-laden death metal albums, particularly their 1996 sophomore effort “From The Lost Years…”. But it would be more than a decade before I’d return to the band & discover that they’d become somewhat of a cult artist in the underground extreme metal scene while I’d been busy indulging myself in the electronic music scene. 2000’s “Procession To The Infraworld” (arguably The Chasm’s most highly regarded work) would be the first of The Chasm’s classic period releases that I'd investigate & it didn’t make as big an impact on me as I’d expected upon first listen. Thankfully, I gave it some time & was warmly rewarded for my patience.

“Procession Into The Infraworld” isn’t the most clinical death metal record you’ll find. Instead, it goes for a much looser & more chaotic approach to both its production & execution. The musicianship isn’t amazing to be honest. Antonio León’s drumming is certainly pretty ambitious however the incredibly clicky kick drum sound is particularly unforgiving & showcases Antonio’s technical failings fairly obviously while the lead guitar work is performed at a pretty basic level & is one of the weaknesses of the album. The complexity of the song-structures is quite impressive though with The Chasm rarely sticking to the one riff for more than a few bars which gives the album an urgency that it might not have possessed otherwise. Daniel Corchado’s vocal performance offers great variety & a significant amount of menace which gives some of the less imposing tracks a little more underground credibility too. Those of you who are familiar with Incantation's "Diabolical Conquest" album might be pleasantly surprised at the alternative directions he takes here in comparison to the more consistently deep & guttural contribution he made to that particular late 90's classic.

Musically, “Procession Into The Infraworld” isn’t the most brutal death metal release you’ll find & it doesn’t have the darkest atmosphere either but neither of those comments should be taken as negatives. The Chasm’s more death metal inclined riffage sports a uniquely Mexican edge that’s got plenty of room for melody without ever crossing over into melodeath territory. It reminds me a lot of Corchado’s early 90’s band Cenotaph’s 1994 sophomore album “Riding Our Black Oceans” & also 2009’s “Sub Altris Caelis” record from fellow Mexicans Infinitum Obscure which was more than likely influenced by it. But if you allow yourself to ignore all of the genre-tagging you see online, close your eyes & focus on what’s really going on, you’ll notice something really interesting because at least half of the guitar work on this release sits more comfortably under the black metal banner than it does under a death metal one & I feel that this major element is deserving of the "blackened death metal" label. There are loads of dissonant open-string arpeggios going on that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Satyricon or Burzum record & there’s a thrashy edge to some of it that’s not all that dissimilar to Immortal’s “At The Heart Of Winter” album too. But the major influence I pick up from “Procession To The Infraworld” is that of Swedish melodic black metal gods Dissection with the same sort of complex melodic movement being employed consistently across the tracklisting. It’s this ever-changing combination of accessible black metal melody & more meaty death metal chug that give this record its widespread underground appeal in my opinion.

On paper, “Procession To The Infraworld” isn’t exactly in line with my usual death metal preferences however it’s hard not to admire the integrity in its concept as it really is an unabashed statement on the strength of the underground extreme metal scene & it’s this characteristic that allows me to overlook its flaws. There are some really strong tracks included here but it’s really only closer “Storm Of Revelations” that sees me reaching tier one levels of admiration. The rest of the album is very consistent but the lack of precision & polish in the performances I mentioned earlier combines with a greater concentration on melody than I’m usually comfortable with to see me reeling my adoration in a bit. There’s no doubt that this is a strong record. It’s just not the classic that some people would have you believe it is.

For fans of Dissection, Cenotaph & Infinitum Obscure.

4/5

A mixed bag for me this month.

The "Oh My Fucking God, Turn It Off Now!":

Lamerror (WTF??), Anal Cunt - never been a fan and paid them very little attention over the years, this track only confirms what a sensible decision that has been.  Painkiller - again just nonsense really.

The "Don't Usually Like These Guys, But...":

Vader - vocally always a challenge for me but this time around the music actually managed to distract me pretty well this time out.  At The Gates - being one of the few people seemingly in the history of metal to not like Slaughter of the Soul I really enjoyed the track here.  Atrocity - another band that I find very mixed in their output but today they just made a perfect fit with me on this track.  Garden of Shadows - not usually melodic death metal's biggest fan but managed to really enjoy this one.

The "Ah yes!  I remember this one!":

Macabre - not actually one of my favourite tracks of theirs but still just had me smiling in that way that every Macabre track does.  Atheist - I mean you cannot go wrong with Atheist on their first two records. Carcass - absolutely classic grindcore from an album I was only spinning recently.  Suffocation - from the album that even a terrible production job cannot kill altogether, the energy still seeps through here.

I can't deny that this absolutely rips, the deepness of the chugs is brutal but still discernable and most of the transitions are on point, but like Sonny this isn't exactly my style when it comes to Death Metal. The vocals are a bit too one note and too vomited-out for me personally and I lose interest in the whole affair by track 8 or 9, but this definitely isn't low quality stuff and I'm surprised that, according to Ben, seasoned Death Metal listeners seem to write this one off. Even though I can't see myself going back to this one it's definitely above average when it comes to slightly-less-than Brutal/Slam Death Metal. The riffs are on point, the more melodic and technical stuff like at the end of "Mephitication" is cool and interesting, so I'm willing to rate it fairly highly. 

3.5/5

Some good quality, cavernous Death Metal that dips into slower Death Doom when it needs to and falls a bit flat thanks to its slightly muted production during certain riffs. I think this is one of those dime-a-dozen Death Metal albums that I check out each year just to be thorough, but Charnel Passages has way more potential than most of them. The twisting riffs have some fantastic movement and transitions to them, the vocals are generic but good, and the background choirs and atmospheric bits give it some fantastic depth and don't feel wasted or thrown in on a whim. "Piety Carved From Flesh" is especially great, transitioning from one of the most aggressive and complex pieces of riffing to easily my favorite chug riff of the month after the guitar solo. However, that same chug riff really highlights how flat and muted the production is on this album, I feel like that moment could have hit so much harder if the lead guitar had some more depth and volume to it compared to the double bass and rhythm guitar riffing. 

A good but slightly run-of-the-mill Death Metal record for me, even though I'm with Sonny in that I'm a fan of the overall style of this compared to the more gory types of Death Metal. 

3.5/5

Daniel, I really should check out that Protector EP more thoroughly. The track I checked out previously a) definitely contained death metal and b) sounded pretty damn good.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=8081f8b826f7424c

Tracklisting:

01. Fossilization – “Blight Cathedral” (from “He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

02. The Crown – “Under The Whip” (from “Crowned In Terror”, 2002) [Submitted by Ben]

03. Turris Eburnea – “Malachite Mountains” (from “Turris Eburnea”, 2021)

04. Gorefest – “Soul Survivor” (from “Soul Survivor”, 1996)

05. Dark Tranquillity – “Yesterworld” (from “A Moonclad Reflection” E.P., 1991)

06. Amorphis – “Drowned Maid” (from “Tales From The Thousand Lakes”, 1993) [Submitted by Ben]

07. Brujeria – “Matando güeros” (from “Matando güeros”, 1993)

08. Paranorm – “Critical Mass” (from “Empyrean”, 2021)

09. Revolting – “1888” (from “The Shadow At The World’s End”, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Frozen Soul – “Hand Of Vengeance” (from “Crypt Of Ice”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Memoriam – “This War Is Won” (from “To The End”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Blood – “Dogmatize” (from “Impulse To Destroy”, 1989)

13. Theory In Practice – “Shapeshifter” (from “Colonizing The Sun”, 2002) [Submitted by Ben]

14. Monstrosity – “Destroying Divinity” (from “In Dark Purity”, 1999) [Submitted by Ben]

15. Awakening Sun – “Void Silence” (from “Into The Light”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Sinister – “Sadistic Intent” (from “Diabolical Summoning”, 1993) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Swampbeast – “1000 Years Of Pestilence” (from “Seven Evils Spawned Of Seven Heads”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Incubus – “Serpent Temptation” (from “Serpent Temptation”, 1988) [Submitted by Ben]

19. Cloud Rat – “Faint-Hearted” (from “Cloud Rat”, 2010)

20. Altarage – “Foregone” (from “Succumb”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. The Berzerker – “Eye For An Eye” (from “Animosity”, 2007)

22. Sanguisugabogg – “Gored In The Chest” (from “Tortured Whole”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Mortician – “Intro/Mortal Massacre” (from “Mortal Massacre” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

24. Firespawn – “Heathen Blood” (from “Abominate”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

25. Wormed – “Xenoverse Discharger” (from “Exodromos”, 2013) [Submitted by Ben]

26. Moral Collapse – “Abandoned Rooms of Misspelled Agony” (from “Moral Collapse”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

27. Devourment – “Self Disembowelment” (from “Molesting The Decapitated”, 1999) [Submitted by Daniel]

28. Cattle Decapitation – “Colon-Blo” (from “Human Jerky”, 1999)

I still don't know too much about the more Brutal side of Death Metal so I wanted to give this short one more chances and time than I normally do. I think it's incredibly solid, unbelievably heavy, and I can see how Suffocation is considered one of the pinnacles of the heavier styles of Death Metal. It helps that they don't necessarily fall into the pitfalls of the more modern Tech-Death groups, since they're able to create some really jagged and complex sections within Despise the Sun without it feeling like they're shoving technical playing in your face for no reason. 

Like Saxy said I don't think I'll necessarily have a reason to go back to this one too much given what I tend to want to listen to on a day-to-day basis, but I'm going to give credit where credit is due on this one. Some of the best, brutal-leaning Death Metal I've heard crammed into a 15-minute package. I have to admit that I'm more of a fan of the modern takes on the brutal but technical style, something like Tomb Mold's Planetary Clairvoyance always comes to mind whenever I try to think of what kind of Death Metal really gets me going, but this was satisfyingly grimy for sure. 

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0R0a3qxSe1XkOMxBN6gkwi?si=de720169fb12423b

Tracklisting:

01. Cannibal Corpse – “Inhumane Harvest” (from “Violence Unimagined”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

02. Stortregn – “Cosmos Eater” (from “Impermanence”, 2021)

03. Decapitated – “Winds Of Creation” (from “Winds Of Creation”, 2000)

04. Carcass – “Keep On Rotting In The Free World” (from “Swansong”, 1996)

05. Atheist – “Mother Man” (from “Unquestionable Presence”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

06. Intestine Baalism – “Anatomy Of The Beast” (from “An Anatomy Of The Beast”, 1997) [Submitted by Ben]

07. Amon Amarth – “Valhall Awaits Me” (from “Odin On Our Side”, 2006) [Submitted by Ben]

08. Death – “Open Casket” (from “Leprosy”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

09. Autopsy – “Corpses At War” (from “Puncturing The Grotesque” E.P., 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Grave – “Now & Forever” (from “You’ll Never See”, 1992) [Submitted by Ben]

11. Anthropophagous – “Death Fugue” (from “Death Fugue”, 2021)

12. Heaven Shall Burn – “Combat” (from “Invictus”, 2010) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Napalm Death – “The Curse” (from “The Curse” E.P., 1988)

14. Filthy Christians – “Who Cares” (from “Mean”, 1990)

15. Brutal Truth – “I See Red” (from “Need To Control”, 1994) [Submitted by Ben]

16. Morbid Angel – “Summoning Redemption” (from “Gateways To Annihilation”, 2000) [Submitted by Ben]

17. Cripple Bastards – “Misantropo a senso unico” (from “Misantropo a senso unico”, 2000)

18. Suffocation – “Synthetically Revived” (from “Human Waste” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

19. Celestial Sanctuary – “Rid The Gormless” (from “Soul Diminished”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Disincarnate – “Stench Of Paradise Burning” (from “Dreams Of The Carrion Kind”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Mortiferum – “Inhuman Effigy” (from “Disgorged From Psychotic Depths”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

22. The Crown – “Motordeath” (from “Royal Destroyer”, 2021)

23. Jarhead Fertilizer – “Baptized By Fire” (from “Product Of My Environment”, 2021)

24. Fuck The Facts – “Drift” (from “Die Miserable”, 2011) [Submitted by Daniel]

25. Last Days Of Humanity – “Hematopoietic System Tissue & Lymphoid Fail” (from “Horrific Compositions Of Decomposition”, 2021)

26. Sanguisugabogg – “Dragged By A Truck” (from “Tortured Whole”, 2021)

27. The Berzerker – “Forever” (from “The Berzerker”, 2000)

28. Defeated Sanity – “Propelled Into Sacrilege” (from “The Sanguinary Impetus”, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

29. Werewolves – “Antisocial” (from “What A Time To Be Alive”, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]

30. Fleshgod Apocalypse – “Thru Our Scars” (from “Mafia” E.P., 2010)

31. Abominable Putridity – “Remnants Of The Tortured” (from “The Anomalies Of Artificial Origin”, 2012) [Submitted by Daniel]

I really enjoyed this one, been going back to it quite a few times this month and that'll probably continue. I've found that I have a very thin vein of Tech-Death that I really like, and Martyr hits that spot pretty well. Even though I respect what Gorguts did for the genre after finally going back and listening to them to figure out why they were so influential, their style of Tech-Death is a bit too dense and overwhelming for me to constantly want to go back to it. Martyr is able to condense some of the more drawn out and complex Tech-Death normalcies into an extremely addicting experience that wasn't ever overwhelming for me. Lotta good stuff in here. 

Plus I'm a big fan of the more Progressive era of Death as Daniel alluded to, so this whole thing was right up my alley. The vocals are extremely Death-like through and through and while I didn't absolutely love this as much as some of my other highly rated Tech-Daeth albums, this one is definitely joining the well above average roster. 

4/5

I still think these playlists should start with a quick brutal introduction then a few melodic songs, so it would be a good starting point for anyone new to death metal or metal in general to begin with the more melodic stuff before digging deeper into death metal's gory brutality. However, switching back and forth between brutality and melody might catch them off-guard. If it was up to me, the Cryptic Shift song probably should've been track #2 before the Scar Symmetry one, then after that, the Septic Flesh song should've been track #4 before the Dark Tranquillity one. Despite its original odd position, this playlist would be a great journey for Horde members from melodic to brutal and I approve of that track listing. They'll like it!

Well to be fair mate, it's my experience that a good half of the death metal fanbase finds melodeath to be fairly easy-listening &, no offence intended to fans of melodeath, but if you lump all of those tracks together at the start like I did a couple of times early on then you risk boring people before they've ever gotten into the meat of the playlist. I actually had a couple of people tell me that I should mix the playlists up more after originally starting all melodic & I have to admit that I agree with them as I find the playlists more enjoyable since making the change. It's also worth noting that these playlists are made for death metal & grindcore fans, not for converting people who might be scared off by the brutality of over 80% of the subgenres The Horde entails.

In general these days I try to start our playlists with three reasonably intense tracks that cover the most popular subgenres of the associated clan (for The Horde that's your conventional, melodic & technical varieties of death metal) so that the listener gets a good understanding of what they can expect & we grab their attention right from the start while also giving a hint at the variety that might be in store for them. Then I drop things down a bit & go with a more structured approach after that. It seems to work for the most part but please bare in mind that I can't possibly listen to 18 hours of playlists every month so you shouldn't expect perfection & obviously won't agree with every choice I make.

I would be lying if I didn't admit to being a little bit intrigued by this record; a death doom album with heavy emphasis on the "death" aspect. As many of you know, my background in this genre is heavily catered towards the atmospheric side, and I have been desperately looking for the Yang to my Ying (Swallow the Sun, My Dying Bride, etc.).

The first thing I thought of when I heard this record was how much it reminded me of Ulcerate. But whereas Ulcerate used this sound to create something that was... ethereal and dripping in post-metal, this record is a straight up death metal assault that is unforgiving with its intensity. There will be no soaring melodic guitar passages here. Everything is tuned down and the closest thing we get to a melodic lead is a mid range guitar solo, such as the one on "Quintessence Maligned". The way in which the ensemble is able to effortlessly transition back and forth between high octane death metal riffing/blast beats to painfully slow doom metal passages is super impressive. The transitions almost never feel rushed and the attention to detail on both is impeccable.

The sound of this album is pretty great. Being a death metal album, there is a certain unpolished level that persists throughout and it does make this quite interesting. The riffing, as mentioned before, is very low and is quite tepid about traversing anything higher than twelfth fret. I found that the bass is surprisingly dense and the kick drums are produced like ass; that is to say, they do not pierce over the rest of the mix. If I had to critique this in any way, it would be the lack of attention to the guitars when doing a "solo". They typically feel drowned by the rhythm guitars, which was a little disappointing.

But overall, add me to the list of people on MA pleasantly surprised by this. I understand that this isn't my forte, but I recognize talent when I hear it, and Dead Congregation are really good at creating claustrophobic, hellacious atmosphere.

8/10

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Gp3odd4VIptvUn3Hgpc9h?si=AH1TSDpZQWWMqxkHOdznPw

Tracklisting:

01. Frozen Soul – “Crypt Of Ice” (from “Crypt Of Ice”, 2021)

02. Into Eternity – “Splintered Visions” (from “Buried In Oblivion”, 2004) [Submitted by Ben]

03. Anna Pest – “Ambivalence” (from “Dark Arms Reach Skyward With Bone White Fingers”, 2021)

04. Bubblegum Octopus – “Telephone Numbers” (from “Perfect Life & Other Stuff”, 2019)

05. Mefitis – “The Witherways” (from “Offscourings”, 2021)

06. Entombed – “Say It In Slugs” (from “Uprising”, 2000)

07. Protector – “Kain & Abel” (from “Misanthropy” E.P., 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

08. Carcass – “Incarnated Solvent Abuse” (from “Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious”, 1991) [Submitted by Ben]

09. Garden Of Shadows – “Twilight Odyssey” (from “Oracle Moon”, 2000)

10. Morta Skuld – “Devoured Fears” (from “Dying Remains”, 1993) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

11. Undergang – “Rødt dødt kød” (from “Aldrig I livet”, 2020)

12. Death – “Zombie Ritual” (from “Scream Bloody Gore”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Asphyx – “The Nameless Elite” (from “Necroceros”, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Baphomet – “Streaks Of Blood” (from “The Dead Shall Inherit”, 1992) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

15. Napalm Death – “Contagion” (from “Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism”, 2020)

16. Pathologist – “Vomitory Corporal Dysfunction” (from “Putrefactive & Cadaverous Odes About Necroticism”, 1992)

17. Sadistic Drive – “Ferox (Victim of Anthropophagous Tribe)” (from “Anthropophagy”, 2020)

18. Mortiferum – “Abhorrent Genesis” (from “Mortiferum / Hyperdontia” split E.P., 2020)

19. Gatecreeper – “Emptiness” (from “An Unexpected Reality”, 2021)

20. Asterisk* - “Furniture” (from “Dogma I: Death of a Dromologist”, 2000)

21. Ulcerate – “Stare Into Death & Be Still” (from “Stare Into Death & Be Still”, 2020) [Submitted by Ben]

22. Hate Eternal – “Lake Ablaze” (from “Phoenix Amongst The Flames”, 2011) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

23. Excoriation – “Art Of Torture” (from “Excoriation”, 2014)

24. Pustulated – “Pathognomonic Purulency” (from “Pathognomonic Purulency” E.P., 2002)

25. Pig Destroyer – “Rotten Yellow” (from “Phantom Limb”, 2007)

Click Track Click Track Click Track CLICK TRACK!!!

I wanted to like this more. The Death Doom hybrid on display is drastically different from the far more ethereal and atmospheric stuff that I am accustomed to. But the poor death vocal timbre from a guy in his fifties and a truly awful percussion mix that desperately needs a click track make this album far more of a chore than I would have liked. 

6/10

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6jlWUG3u3AYtIdDrUWSebs?si=GelaleCMTIyrd8J4yX1Qfw

Tracklisting:

1. Immolation – “Under The Supreme” (from “Here In After”, 1996) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Mors Principium Est – “A Day For Redemption” (from “Seven”, 2020)

3. Death – “Lack Of Comprehension” (from “Human”, 1991)

4. Enshine – “Stream Of Light” (from “Origin”, 2013) [Submitted by Ben]

5. Insomnium – “Bereavement” (from “Since The Day It All Came Down”, 2004)

6. Necrophagia – “Ancient Slumber” (from “Season Of The Dead”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Morbid Angel – “Angel Of Disease” (from “Abominations Of Desolation”, 1986) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Gates Of Ishtar – “At Dusk & Forever” (from “At Dusk & Forever”, 1998)

9. Entombed – “Chief Rebel Angel” (from “Morning Star”, 2001)

10. Obliteration – “Churning Magma (Outro)” (from “Black Death Horizon”, 2013)

11. Grave – “Into The Grave” (from “Into The Grave”, 1991)

12. Pathologist – “Putrescence” (from “Grinding Opus of Forensic Medical Problems”, 1993)

13. O.L.D. – “Colostomy Grab-Bag” (from “Old Lady Drivers”, 1988)

14. Fuck The Facts – “Pleine noirceur” (from “Pleine noirceur”, 2020)

15. Horrendous – “Soothsayer” (from “Idol”, 2018) [Submitted by Ben]

16. Anna Pest – “Skyward” (from “Dark Arms Reach Skyward With Bone White Fingers”, 2021)

17. Frozen Soul – “Wraith Of Death” (from “Crypt Of Ice”, 2021)

18. Skeletal Remains – “Tombs Of Chaos” (from “The Entombment Of Chaos”, 2020)

19. Wormrot – “Hollow Roots” (from “Voices”, 2016)

20. Necrophobic – “Mirror Black” (from “Dawn Of The Damned”, 2020)

21. Napalm Death – “Silence Is Deafening” (from “The Code Is Red... Long Live the Code”, 2005)

22. Suffocation – “Catatonia” (from “Human Waste” E.P., 1991)

23. Curse Of The Golden Vampire – “Parasite” (from “Mass Destruction”, 2003)

24. Drawn & Quartered – “Under The Chainsaw” (from “Extermination Revelry”, 2003)

25. Lost Soul – “Personal Universe” (from “Immerse In Infinity”, 2009) [Submitted by Ben]

26. Deeds Of Flesh – “Alyen Scourge” (from “Nucleus”, 2020)

27. Ecchymosis – “Aesthetic Devotion Towards Coprocraniotomy” (from “Ritualistic Intercourse Within Abject Surrealism”, 2020)

28. Benighted – “Obscene Repressed” (from “Obscene Repressed”, 2020)

"Here In After" is of course a very solid slab of traditional death metal although it's not without its flaws. There's not a huge amount of variety on offer but I can accept that from a band whose primary focus is on brutality & the creation of dark atmospheres. My main concern is with the performances as Immolation do tend to sound a little sloppy here at times, particularly in the drumming department which causes several sections to break down into a bit of a mess. Thankfully the previously mentioned atmosphere is always evident & the consistency of the tracklisting allows the band to hold my interest throughout. Besides, I can't deny that I love the death metal sound in its purest form & the interesting guitar solos always get me with their unique approach to melody & phrasing. "Here In After" is a clear step down from my favourite Immolation record in 2000's classic "Close To A World Below" but you can't really go wrong with it if you're a fan of Incantation, Morbid Angel & early Gorguts.

4/5

NO!! Children of Bodom was one of the first melodeath bands I've enjoyed where the vocals are almost entirely growls. I admired his growls and guitar shredding so much. Now I feel bad for leaving my interest in this band during my escape from my earlier epic metal taste. Children of Bodom had already ended over a year ago and Alexi Laiho started a new project Bodom After Midnight. Now it's uncertain whether or not that project will go on. This is awful. Party on in metal heaven, Alexi... RIP );

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Pa4HX0iOV27Z2ZeCc8jFp?si=Tu2VxVVXRn6BhRwe1LcP6Q

Tracklisting:

01. Incantation – “Unto Infinite Twilight/Majesty Of Infernal Damnation” (from “Diabolical Conquest”, 1998) [Submitted by Daniel]

02. Countless Skies – “Summit” (from “Glow”, 2020)

03. Afterbirth – “Black Hole Kaleidoscope” (from “Four Dimensional Flesh”, 2020)

04. Insomnium – “One For Sorrow” (from “One For Sorrow”, 2011)

05. Sacrilege – “Sor” (from “The Fifth Season”, 1997)

06. Atheist – “Air” (from “Elements”, 1993)

07. Genghis Tron – “Arms” (from “Cloak Of Love” E.P., 2005)

08. Intestine Baalism – “Banquet In The Darkness” (from “Banquet In The Darkness”, 2003)

09. Sepultura – “Mayhem” (from “Morbid Visions”, 1986) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Possessed – “Holy Hell” (from “Seven Churches”, 1985) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Macabre – “Fritz Haarmann The Butcher” (from “Gloom”, 1989)

12. Gorod – “Transcendence” (from “Transcendence” E.P., 2011)

13. Sore Throat – “Truth” (from “Disgrace To The Corpse Of Sid”, 1989)

14. Haemorrhage – “I’m A Pathologist” (from “Anatomical Inferno”, 1998)

15. Black Breath – “Black Sin (Spit On The Cross)” (from “Heavy Breathing”, 2010)

16. Interment – “A Descent Hell” (from “Conjuration Of The Sepulchral”, 2007)

17. Nasum – “Detonator” (from “Human 2.0”, 2000)

18. Napalm Death – “Next On The List” (from “Enemy Of The Music Business”, 2000)

19. Brutal Truth – “Choice Of New Generation” (from “Need To Control”, 1994)

20. !T.O.O.H! – “Kali” (from “Order & Punishment”, 2005)

21. Internal Rot – “Sex Everywhere” (from “Mental Hygiene”, 2014)

22. Incenerated – “Tortured” (from “Lobotomise”, 2017)

23. Caustic Wound – “Ritual Trappings” (from Death Posture”, 2020)

24. Ecchymosis – “Cephalic Ingestion Of Newborn Chunks” (from “Aberrant Amusement In Cadaveric Vomitplay”, 2016)

25. Dying Fetus – “Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)” (from “Destroy The Opposition”, 2000)

26. Pig Destroyer – “The Octagonal Stairway” (from “The Octagonal Stairway” E.P., 2020)

27. Miasmic Necrosis – “Apotheosis Of A Malodorous Procedure” (from “Apex Profane”, 2020)

28. Of Feather & Bone – “Sulfuric Sodomy (Disintegration Of Christ)” (from “Sulfuric Disintegration”, 2020)

29. Katalepsy – “Those Who Rot The Souls” (from “Terra mortuus est”, 2020)

Just read your review Daniel and it absolutely nails it as to what makes this album so f***ing awesome and expresses it far more eloquently than I ever could. Your quote "The intentionally sludgy & mossy production, the gorgeously muddy guitar tone, the monstrous bass tone, the loose-ish performances that ooze of underground credibility, the ultra-deep & repetitive vocals" sum up exactly what I love most when I do listen to death metal. Unlike yourself, I am not a dyed-in-the -wool death metal fan, being more attracted to doom and black metal for my extreme metal fixes, but this is exactly the sort of record that appeals to what I do love about the genre and it's looser, filthier side. 

This one was a bit too grindy for me this time around and so I didn't really pick out too much to explore off the back of it.  Will be listening through Despise The Sun again though as I have never given it much attention for some reason before now.  I did get through the Entombed track and quite enjoyed it which is bolt from the blue as I have no time normally for Clandestine, so perhaps time for another spin of that too.

I have to thank you once again Daniel for recommending some modern metal in the featured clan challenges. It is a great reason for me to explore places I don't necessarily visit. Such as mid 90s tecch death circa Immolation/Cannibal Corpse. And while I will admit that it certainly isn't my cup of tea, there is a lot of promise that someone who really appreciates that sound will enjoy more than myself. This is some clean sounding death metal; some of the best I've heard in years. However, the compositions are pretty jarring in their transitions. Also, the lack of guitar/bass independence makes for some pretty uneventful instrumentals throughout.

In addition, the general consensus surrounding this album is that it's "not really reinventing the wheel". I don't mind worship of a time once passed, but if their is nothing that distinguishes it from those early Immolation and Cannibal Corpse records, why would I not just listen to those instead? Undeath needs to do... something to make them stand out in the future. Otherwise, bands like Tomb Mold will run circles around them.

6/10

Appreciate it Daniel. I sometimes wish my review style was a bit more freeform so I could crank them out more often instead of needing to wait for the creative juices to build up, but I'll always prefer quality over quantity.

_{(Shakes fist at 1st wave Black Metal Clan Challenge that I swear I'll finish eventually)}

Oh man, that is one horrible album cover... but it is a pretty amusing title all the same!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7DW7q6RJgHXO45AySdJT2w?si=13X6J7TzQ4yU-rFzC2y0Qw

Tracklisting:

01. Blood Incantation – “Vitrification Of Blood (Part 1)” (from “Starspawn”, 2016) 

02. Soilwork – “Chainheart Machine” (from “The Chainheart Machine”, 1999) [Submitted by Ben]

03. Nocturnus – “Possess The Priest” (from “Nocturnus” E.P., 1993) [Submitted by Ben]

04. Napalm Death – “Multinational Corporations” (from “Scum”, 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]

05. Entombed – “Serpent Speech” (from “Hollowman” E.P., 1993)

06. Omnium Gatherum – “New World Shadows” (from “New World Shadows”, 2011)

07. Amon Amarth – “Cry Of The Black Birds” (from “With Oden On Our Side”, 2006)

08. Dark Tranquillity – “Hours Passed In Exile” (from “Damage Done”, 2002) [Submitted by Ben]

09. Carcass – “Genital Grinder” (from “Reek Of Putrefaction”, 1988)

10. Regurgitate – “Bullous Impetigo” (from “Effortless Regurgitation Of Bright Red Blood”, 1994)

11. Xysma – “Cranial Cradle” (from “Above The Mind Of Morbidity” E.P., 1990)

12. Contrastic – “War Laws?” (from “Contrastic”, 2000)

13. Draghkar – “An Erosion Of The Eternal Soul” (from “At The Crossroads of Infinity”, 2020) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Sepultura – “Necromancer” (from “Bestial Devastation” E.P., 1985)

15. Bolt Thrower – “The Killchain” (from “Those Once Loyal”, 2005) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

16. Excruciating Terror – “Divided We Fall” (from “Divided We Fall”, 1997)

17. Obituary – “Chopped In Half” (from “Cause Of Death”, 1990) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

18. Death Toll 80k – “No Escape” (from “Harsh Realities”, 2011)

19. Deicide – “Dead By Dawn” (from “Deicide”, 1990) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

20. The Black Dahlia Murder – “Dawn Of Rats” (from “Verminous”, 2020)

21. 200 Stab Wounds – “Maggot Casket” (from “Piles Of Festering Decomposition” E.P., 2020)

22. Insect Warfare – “Human Trafficking” (from “World Extermination”, 2007)

23. Agoraphobic Nosebleed – “Kill Theme From American Apeshit” (from “Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope”, 2002)

24. Delusional Parasitosis – “Gluttonous Consumption Of Prenatal Malformation” (from “Ingurgitating Intestinal Rot”, 2014)

25. Last Days Of Humanity – “A Portion Of Pulpified Leftovers” (from “In Advanced Haemorrhaging Conditions” E.P., 2005)

26. Benighted – “Implore The Negative” (from “Obscene Repressed”, 2020)

27. Suffocation – “Liege Of Inveracity” (from “Effigy Of The Forgotten”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

28. Kronos – “Colossal Titan Strife” (from “Colossal Titan Strife”, 2003)

29. Defeated Sanity – “Engulfed In Excruciation” (from “Chapters Of Repugnance”, 2010)

30. WVRM – “Thorn Palace” (from “Colony Collapse”, 2020)

31. Molested Divinity – “Unearthing The Void” (from “Unearthing The Void”, 2020)

32. Wormed – “Agliptian Codex Cyborgization” (from “Krighsu”, 2016) [Submitted by MacabreEternal]

I tried, I really tried.  My ongoing battle with melodeath still leaves me cold and empty after most listens.  It’s not that the album is terrible by any means.  It is consistent and obviously delivered by a band accomplished in their field, but this is also the problem for me because largely the album sounds the same throughout and as a result I get bored really quickly.  I have heard these riff structures on virtually every Amon Amarth record and if they were going to grow on me they would have done so by now.

2/5

Great list Daniel.  New bands I picked up on were Nails, Defeated Sanity and Illdisposed.  Planning to revisit Pyrexia who I think were a Bandcamp fave of mine a few years back who I have drifted away from.  Did not get on with that frog stuff at all.  Confirmed my dislike for Soilwork and my under-appreciation of Necrophagist.  Certainly a list that captures the spectrum of the Horde as a whole.  Looking forwards to October’s list.