Glorious Depravity : "Death Never Sleeps"

This band features members of Woe, Pyrrhon, and Gravesend. It takes you back to the days when death metal had just emerged from thrash, so the knack for songwriting with hooks over sheer brutality was still intact. Doug Moore's guttural growls are articulated enough that they emerge from being just a gurgle into something articulate enough to give you a hint of what the songs might be about. The riffing on "Stripmined Flesh Extractor" is coherent enough to give it an almost Megadeth-like groove. They tap into the darker tension that fuels Slayer's vibe for " Freshkills Poltergeist". They are not doing anything new here; they are just doing it right. 

The feeling I am getting from this album as these guys, and I know the bands they are from, are jsut metal nerds who in real life are not aggressive people. Lyrically, I am getting this, and it is also what sells Cannibal Corpse a little differently, though Corpse Grinder is a big WoW-playing teddy bear of a guy; he at least appreciates violence in a fantasy setting. This might make him a more aggressive person; maybe they are also just larger dudes with more testosterone, whereas these guys are eating tofu in Brooklyn. The chugs begin to run together midway through the album. There are a few gallops that make my ears perk up here and there. 

'The Devouring Dust' has enough hook to get me back invested, even if it leans in a blast direction at times. "Carnage at the Margins" finds the vocals digging into a lower gurgle at times on the verses, and a more Slayer-tinged aggression in other places. The title track that closes the album is more deliberate than the previous song, which tried too hard. I will give this album a 9; it's very solid and captures the feel they were going for and cares about songwriting, though it's a very competitive year for this genre, so it will likely get overlooked in some circles. It drops on Transcending Obscurity. 

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Pyrrhon : "Abscess Time"

The opening track makes me think of a death metal version of the Jesus Lizard. Known for being a progressive metal band with a leaning toward the mathmatics, I can appreciate them progressing more into choas than wanking. "Down at Liberty Ashes " is more conventional death metal , but still very noisy. The third song finds them moving down the evoluntionary scale in grind core. The song is only a minute but feels like it could have been invested elsewhere. "the Lean Years" descends into jazzy chaos that sounds a little better than some of the murkier moments of noise where it get hard to tell if we are listening to music or a melt down. The rocrding being very raw plays into the more boise rock sound. The vocals find a nice nasty snarl to go into that is higher than the death metal growls. Today is the Day's heavier moments is a fair comparison here as well.

I can appreciatre the furious pounding " Another Day in Paradise " brings you can hear some hard core influence in the attack. One thing about this more noise rock direction they are going is that it is way more melodic. I like the reverb soaked atmosphere that cloaks the ranting on "the Cost of Living". They learned the best way to make death metal heavier is by not playing it. Not all touches of chaos go as well, though even with songs like the dumpster fire that is the absurd "Overwinding" they get points for trying. I think where the masters of this kind of thing Mr. Bungle and Frank Zappa get this kind of train wreck right is they work it into a song rather than a stand alone piece. "Human Capital" aims the chaos in a more death metal direction and it only works marginally better. There are few places where they lock into something cool, but the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. "Corned Animal" takes the same sentiment in a more feral direction. There are other moments on this album where they go in more of an atmospheric free jazz direction , but with distorted chords bubbling below it . This is more like an interlude than a song.

"State of Nature " finds them blending they element that work for them and playing off them. They do is in a more discordiant direction with "Rat King Lifecycle" which still equates for this album to have a strong ending.I will round this up to a 8.5 as it's encouraging to hear these guys doing something different and not afraid to try new things.

Death Fetishist : "Clandestine Sacrament"

When this album finally commits to it's brand of dark terrorizing death metal the results are pretty impressive. It should be considering this project is being brought to you by Matron Thorn of Aevangelist. The vocals are also handled by the growlers from Pyrrhon and Mispyring. The extreme metal luminaries doesn't end their as the synths are tackled by members of Gnaw Their Tongues and Bethlehem. "Void Tripper" is rawer and more brutal than the song before it with the blasting hammer at you with more demonic fury than before. Almost to the points of putting the finer points of songwriting upon their altar of sacrifice. "Netherrealm" is pretty abrasive, but has a coating of atmosphere under it's nasty roar that makes it a more worth while song than "Void Tripper" which hit you with a very one dimensional attack. The blast beats seething beneath don't make this the most original song ever, but if works for what is going on here.

Normally the dark throb to "Beauty From Wretchedness" would do more for me but it sounds to much like what we heard from the song before even though there is slight edge to the chaotic pounding  here. The drums on this are handled by G Nefarious from Panzer God and AD Noctum. His kit has a big sound and though sometimes more distant the drums sound pretty good on this album. There are a few synth interludes, but mostly things are kept in focus.  It's pretty impressive that these guys keep things under the ten minute mark even at their most cavernous excursions like "Wreckage of the Flesh" , that borders on black metal at times. While a more powerful charge eventually takes form out of this sonic murk the nasty vocals are the most ear grating part of the song.

The album closes with it's one long sprawling song at breaks the 12 minute mark. This one comes closer to blackened death metal. It is a murky mess with formless riff churning the darkness. The last minute ends in bizarre samples and atmosphere. I'll give this one a 6.5.  It is often to chaotic to focus on the songs, though that is often their intention, so it's really how atmospheric and murky do you want your death metal.  This album drops just in time for you Halloween weekend on October 28th.

The Top 10 Death Metal Albums of 2015

While death metal doesn't get as much air time with me, I am no stranger to the genre having bought my first death metal album "Leprosy" in 1988. From there Morbid Angel and Deicide would become my favorite death metal bands  with Incantation, Obituary, Cancer, Nocturnus and Unleashed picking up the slack. As with all things the darker the better so that while factor in as we leave no grave unturned and dig into the best of 2015. This list is going to touch on every aspect of the genre sometimes getting so melodic I had to question if they were death metal and then give the album another listen to ease my doubts. There was not one sub-genre of genre that dominated this year though I tend to lean more toward the doomier more blackened side, we still have more traditional, tech and experimental death metal bands gave good showings. So here are my top ten death metal albums, ranked in according to which one got the most rotation on my iPod.Links to full reviews which include streams posted with each entry.




10 - Vehemence -"Forward Without Motion"

 Certainly could have stood to have listened to this one more, but I suppose I'm not always in need of this much shredding mixed in with your death metal. It was guitar players album for sure. The drummer was no slouch either but the focus in more on the sweep arpeggios. It is pretty melodic in the post- Spiritual Healing or Heartwork way. As this one progresses it becomes impressively melodic and not in the cheesy Dark Tranquility way. It can be hard to take a more conventional approach to death metal and make it interesting and these guys made more than listenable and topped out with outstanding shred guitar.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/10/vehemence-forward-without-motion.html

9 - Grave: "Out of Respect For the Dead"

 It's the eleventh album from the Swedish Death Metal vets. Along with Entombed they helped hone a sound that bands have been trying to emulate ever since.There is a lot of groove to this album which help keep it's dark and grisly vibe moving forward. This is pretty much everything you could want from this era of old school death metal . It's an impressive display of power, that comes with seasoned songwriting.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/09/grave-out-of-respect-for-dead.html

8 - Pyrrhon -"Growth Without End"

 The album title must be this band's motto as the New York based band headed in a more intense yet mathematical direction.The songs were short spastic burst not as herky jerky as power-violence or grind core. At times this came across like a more death metal version of what Converge does, but with a meth driven ADD. Where most of the so called deathcore bands attempt something similar to this, Pyrrhon gets it right and understands the beauty in creating ugliness. The production of the album is as in your face as the music that was recorded, not too noisy or lo-fi, but balancing out the layers like a Bosch painting.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/09/pyrrhon-growth-without-end.html

7 - Aevangelist: "Enthrall to the Void of Bliss"

This didn't hit me like "Writhes in the Murk " did as it's not as dense and jazz like. They shed some of the black metal elements to you deeper into the land of profane nightmares from a more death metal perspective. The drag riffs out of the murk, proving they are making metal and not just hell-spawned noise-scapes. The vocals stay at bubbling gurgle, like lava being poured down a drain pipe.They have brought experimentation and metal meet at a dark crossroads. This is like heavy machinery and should not be operated while on drugs at risk to your own sanity.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/09/aevangelist-enthrall-to-void-of-bliss.html

6 -Desolate Shrine- "the Heart of the Netherworld"

 This is an album of dark death where the guitars lay their melodies over a fairly brutal battering. The production on this album is how death metal should sound. It's not too , but it's not under produced to the point of sounding like they are playing in your crawlspace. Many death metal bands blown their wad after the first song, and hit me with everything they have. This leaves me waiting around to see what else they can do which is usually more of the same. This album made me forget that I was waiting around for as it evident the onset and didn't let up from there. It really grew on me with each listen.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/05/desolate-shrine-heart-of-netherworld.html

5 - No Trust: "the Cycle"

 Despite having a slight black metal torment to the mid-range throat scraping of the vocals, these guys play death metal that attacks as a very keen machine. The compact songs , run around four minutes, getting in and getting the job done without losing you in the sprawl. This is not straight forward death metal, it retains enough of the raw aggression to give the tightly coiled progressive metal influence more bite, always finding ways to work in catchy grooves. Tastefully finding ways to conforms more to what today's headbangers would want from death metal, the band doesn't owe much to classic bands like Morbid Angel, but slight touches of Slayer can be detected. Keep your ears open to what the future holds for this band.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/07/no-trust-cycle.html

4 -Howls of Ebb -"the Marrow Veil"

 I hear too many bands in today's metal that play it way to safe , so Howls of Ebb are welcomed relief. They are not afraid of wildly deviating from the masses . I am not a fan of twenty minute songs, but these guys are able to occupy the space. They kick in with a bizarre psychedelic fury and ebb down to linger in the awkward silence of whispers. This makes the silence as confrontational as their louder moments in a manner similar to bands like Mr. Bungle.There is a chance that when this album is over you'll find your self wondering what the hell you listened to, depending upon how stoned you are. It will take a few more listens and a half dozen more bong hits to come to a conclusion. Stone cold sober I concludeD that I need more of this in my life , though would prefer it in smaller more song like doses and less like sprawling soundtracks. But if they do not choose to temper their wild creative streak with the restraint, then I'll take that as well.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/07/howls-of-ebb-marrow-veil.html

3 -Nightfell - "Darkness Evermore"

 The bar was raised pretty high as their debut album"the Living Ever Mourn" really killed it. The same woefully melodic throb still flows through the veins of this beast. The guitars are masterfully layered and production wise this album sounds even better than their first. The arrangements are crafted in a way that other bands should take note as it is so organic and fluid you almost don't notice the transitions. The song writing has stepped up to the challenge. I would otherwise balk at opening an album with a ten minute song, but they know how to make every second count. They gallop into the darkened landscapes with classic metal bravado, once again delivering the goods.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/08/nightfell-darkness-evermore.html

 

2 - Archgoat - "the Apocalyptic Triumphator"

 This Finnish band has been spreading the unholy word since the early nineties. They have left a trail of splits and eps in their wake but this is only the band's third full length...so it's kind of a big deal.While this band's mission statement and role in the occult community is more in line with black metal, but intention and attitude alone doesn't keep this album from being death metal as the vocals are growled in a manner below guttural like Angel Slayer is funneling a sewer from from the bowels of hell down his throat. At best it's blackened death metal, but the band's influences are pre-dark throne a time when death metal was the heaviest thing going and Deicide and Acheron were the most satanic shows in town. Never numbing you out with blast beats, they raised the bar for metal bands in 2015. This album proved it was possible to be insanely heavy with out forsaking songwriting. This album Has both the brutality and attention to detail I want from my metal death, black or otherwise.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/01/archgoatthe-apocalyptic-triumphator.html

1 - Tribulation - the Children of the Night Was a little torn as to if this album even belonged here, until I went back and listened to the album and "Music From the Other " sealed the deal. While I liked the band's last album, but found them much more fascinating of a creature on stage when I saw them open for Watain, so I am hoping some of those more progressive and wandering qualities have carried over from the road and right from the first few chords of the opener it seems like they have. There is an almost Opeth like lushness to the sound. They don't use the traditional metal crunch, instead just going for an organic tone that they are playing loudly. The vocals are more intelligible than the previous album. When they dive deeper into the darkness answering the question what would it have sounded like if DeepPurple had written the soundtrack to the Exorcist. This is another step forward for the band that continues to grow with every album, they blend the more classic metal elements in with their more ethereal colors with ease, as they are not afraid to push the bounds of what death metal can be.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2015/03/tribulation-children-of-night.html

Pyrrhon : "Growth Without End"

We reviewed their 2014 an this one finds the New York based band headed in a more intense yet mathematical direction.The songs are short spastic burst not as herky jerky as power-violence or grind core, but it's not until the third song "Mass" that they break the three minute mark.The opener is more like a more death metal version of what Converge does but with more of a meth driven ADD. They go at their instruments like rabid dogs on " Forget Yourself " that finds the only difference aside from lower growls to be a little more blast to things. He uses a more exclamatory vocal tone on " The Mass" that also finds the drums going into a cool tribal break down.The bring a dissonance to the riffs here that I am a big fan of. The drummer really proves his attention to detail with tasteful cymbal work before joining the crazed explosion.

There is a Mike Patton / Jello Biafra craziness to the vocals of "Viral Content" as he keeps up the chant of "We're not saying it I have nothing to say". The song it self is intentionally disjointed and descended into a berserk blur of blasting before they give you room to breath. "Turing's Revenge" breaks the four minute mark making it almost double the length of the other songs on the album.  They slow to a devastating pound at the first minute mark. The guitar locks into a throb that is more sonic than your typical death metal band, They become loose and formless then lock onto a chug to end it.

Where most of the so called deathcore bands attempt something similar to this, Pyrrhon gets it right and understands the beauty in creating ugliness. The production of the album is as in your face as the music that was recorded, not too noisy or lo-fi but balancing out the layers like a Bosch painting. While it's not something that would make its way to my iPod, I can appreciate what these guys are doing and will keep following their work, I'll give it an 8.5, if you like really techy death metal around it up.

Pyrrhon : "The Mother of Virtues"

It's almost a stretch to call this spastic band of New Yorkers death metal. The open up their album with the gnashing of teeth that reminds me more of Today is the Day doing meth with Angkor Wat. From there it gets sludgey on "White Flag". Their is an ugly dissonance to how the song breathes it's toxic contortions around the seething vocals that do get more growly on this song , but staying in the more acidic Today is the Day range than guttural.

They do flow through a warped metamorphosis, whose angular hysteria I appreciate. The technical side of what they do is not just relegated to shredding. The flex some muscular chop and a burly roar on "Sleeper Agent" and while it's good spastic fun, it does make me wonder how the song writing that is a haphazard collection of brilliant mistakes hold up with no melody.    

They show slightly more death metal fangs on "Balkanized", but you still get the impression despite the slight Carcassisms that they listen to way more Botch than Morbid Angel. I prefer the snarl of ... its not personal. To how the vocals were delivered earlier. They thankful get a lot darker on "Eternity In a Breath", it's almost blackened, but also gets kinda post- rock in spots. It could easily be argued by the genre police that this is more sludge than it is death metal.

The get almost Absu like on "Implant Fever" , but with less ..or any thrashing. They often find themselves in collision with the cool riffs don't make a good song, as some of these ideas sounds like they were literally thrown in a baby blender to see what kind of a mess it would make. The drummer is a champ for taking this chaos on. There is a jazz like method to his madness.  

They launch in to some ranting on "Invisible Wound" that goes back into Today is the Day mode, with some leering down at David Yow's stripped down and masturbatory presentation. Sure this is hip in New York, but this song is barely hanging together. I do like the serial killer like whine the vocals take on when the emulate Steve Austin from Today is the Day. The taste of NY that you are expect, the more Krallice or Liturgy like mathematics don't come in until "The Parasite In Winter". .

They close with the title track that slows things down to a darker pace, that I would normally be a fan of , but this song doesn't retain enough form to really hook me in .It goes into freak out mode , but never had enough shape to divest in the first place. I will round this album , up to a six because what they do in the first place is so unique and something can be said for carving out a sound for yourself.