Last Retch : "Abject Cruelty"

There is a ton of new metal coming out of Canada, and this band belongs on the list. With the title track opening this album with a malicious buzz of guitar, these guys prove themselves as songwriters by knowing when to use restraint and make the most of the songs rather than beating you with their brutal riff. The vocals are a low gurgle of a growl. The riffs compensate for what the vocals do not do by playing around the gurgle. This is their second full-length, so they are pretty confident in crafting this. The purpose of their playing on a song like "Beasly Meth Merchants" shows they care about hooking you in with a smart riff, which is placed over technical craftsmanship. 

There is a little more aggression for 'Dissecting the Leper," but they keep things in the middle of the road for death metal, at least, which is a decent place for them sonically. "In Polder They Reek" grinds along a more Bolt Thrower feel, which works well enough, and sounds better than pouring on the speed. "Resinous Drip of Decay" checks off all the obligatory death metal boxes for what they are doing, I think a little more out of the box thinking makes elevate this to the next level, but what they are doing here is still effective.

There is more of a lurching stomp to " Dissolved in Lye" that reminds me of Obituary, though it finds more of a Cannibal Corpse groove as it progresses. These guys are falling in with the same classic death metal influences; it is how they arrange the pieces that is working so well for them. The songs do not sprawl out into vast monolithic riff fests, but attack your ears and make their point. "Ooze Pustules" packs a well-placed punch, though the vocals accent the verses well enough, aside from the deliberate chugs, they are typical of death metal. "Gatling Gun " has a more thrash-like groove to its attack, which works well, even if the vocals feel obligatory by this point. I will give this album a 9, it is very well done, and the band excels at this style of death metal. It is not something I need as I would default to the classics, but younger listeners will find this band a solid introduction to death metal.  

Abject Cruelty by Last Retch

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