Exhumed

Mutilation Barbecue – Amalgamations of Gore Review

Mutilation Barbecue – Amalgamations of Gore Review

“After the slamaissance of 2023 which brought us genre-blended success from Afterbirth and Wormhole, the prospect of slam bringing the same kind of heat in 2024 felt hopeful, but as an enjoyer of the hammer-dropping arts, I remain ever so. You see, sometimes a name and cover say it all, and in a genre like slam, those kinds of gaudy statements may be the most worthwhile attributes of the sonic whole. So when I saw festering in our full and plump sump the name Mutilation Barbecue and the fanciful display of human consumption that adorns their debut full-length Amalgamations of Gore, I slapped my name on it with equal parts wonder and fear.” Eat the poors.

Werewolves – My Enemies Look and Sound Like Me Review

Werewolves – My Enemies Look and Sound Like Me Review

“Australia’s death-metal upstarts Werewolves channel the zeitgeist of the 21st century with their fourth full-length, My Enemies Look and Sound Like Me. Take in the apocalyptic imagery and try to imagine what lurks within. Gratuitous self-mutilation, friendly discourse between neighbors, a horse, and a guy plugging himself directly into the Hell-Matrix—truly an album cover that screams “everything is fine”. Everything is fire.

Dripping Decay – Festering Grotesqueries Review

Dripping Decay – Festering Grotesqueries Review

“Imagine taking fecal samples from early days Carcass, Exhumed, and Autopsy and smearing them all on rye toast. The titanic shit sandwich you’d create would be Portland’s own Dripping Decay. Why you would be smearing fecal samples on toast in the first place, I don’t know, but it seems appropriate considering the cesspool that Dripping Decay drips and spews all over their Festering Grotesqueries debut.” Rip and drip.

Birdflesh – Sickness in the North Review

Birdflesh – Sickness in the North Review

“Swedish goofballs Birdflesh return with another fun, uproarious and colorful explosion of old school grind on their sixth LP, Sickness in the North. The veteran trio smash out the follow-up to 2019’s thoroughly enjoyable, Extreme Graveyard Tornado, and all is good in the grind world.” Birds of a feather grind together.

Exhumed – To the Dead Review

Exhumed – To the Dead Review

“Lovable gorehounds Exhumed return after a three-year recording gap, feeling rather nostalgic as they celebrate their lengthy history, bringing back old cattle into the writing process, and musically, continuing the throwback trend of previous album, Horror. Since picking up the gore metal baton fumbled by idols Carcass on Swansong, Exhumed carved a remarkably consistent career. While lovingly inspired by the English legends, Exhumed were never content with mimicry.” Huzzah to the ripper.

Vrenth – Succumb to Chaos Review

Vrenth – Succumb to Chaos Review

“Over the years, I’ve come to realize that death metal is more about the visceral reaction that your body and mind have to a barbaric aural bludgeoning than it is about memorability, and I’ve thus come to enjoy entire albums full of quality metal of the dead variety. But every once in a while, a death metal band comes along with the apparent intent of providing that same visceral journey while simultaneously providing riff after memorable riff, a host of unforgettable solos, and enough stylistic changeups to keep the listener on their toes. California’s Vrenth is just such a band.” Death with life.

Consumption – Necrotic Lust Review

Consumption – Necrotic Lust Review

“Someone forgot to put the surgical steel away, so Consumption grabbed it and started cutting. On Necrotic Lust, Hákan Stuvemark of Wombbath applies his gift for blending the heavy and the catchy to an album of straight-up Carcass-core. These nine symphonies of sickness aren’t trying to hide their debt to the English masters of grinding death metal; the promo copy makes the connection explicit, and Jeff Walker himself takes over lead vocals on “Ground Into Ash and Coal.” The band exists somewhere on the Gruesome Continuum–they’re willing to flirt with tribute act status if that means they can pump out new variations on the jams that inspired them.” Necrofanciers unite.