Pestilence

Pestilence – Exitivm Review

By Steel Druhm on June 24, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 38 comments

“I’ll forever have a soft spot in my wrought iron heart for Dutch death act Pestilence. Their 1989 magnum opus Consuming Impulse blew my mind all over the wall with its gnarly death metal assault and I still play it regularly. I haven’t completely loved any of their second career stage releases however, as their style has parked somewhere between OSDM and prog-death with jazz elements, making things a bit too awkward for my tastes. That said, 2013s Obsideo was good if weird, and 2018s Hadeon was a respectable shift toward more straightforward death metal. Ninth album Exitivm is now set to drop with an almost entirely new lineup from last time, with founding guitarist Patrick Mameli the sole survivor.” Prog infection.

Skeletal Remains – The Entombment of Chaos Review

By Saunders on September 16, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 27 comments

“Old school death has bucked the dreary trend of a wretched 2020 thus far with a stellar supply of quality albums to help keep the blues away. Now the unfashionable but dependably solid Californian crew Skeletal Remains emerge from their dank and dusty crypt with their bludgeoning brand of no-frills death on latest platter of destruction, The Entombment of Chaos.” Bone entombers unite!

Mercyless – The Mother of All Plagues Review

By Steel Druhm on August 20, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 12 comments

“Few death metal bands had as stark a rise and fall as Mercyless did in the 90s. Coming off 1993s excellent Coloured Funeral, an all time great death platter, they made an ill-advised grab at mainstream acceptance on utterly disastrous followup C.O.L.D.. So bad was the album that legions of fans promptly decamped, myself among them, leaving the band to slowly rot.” Up with the sickness.

Lantern – Dimensions Review

By Ferrous Beuller on August 8, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 21 comments

“This review is obscenely late. Mostly because I’m trying to complete a PhD and not contract terminal stupidity from my Government. I’ve also been increasingly distracted by death metal’s performance this year. Without doubt, the genre’s legion of revenant revengers have clawed through the rot of 2020 and thrust a flayed face to the light. Lantern, who shone so pallid and putrid in 2017, are of particular note.” Late to the early grave.

Temple of Dread – World Sacrifice Review

By Holdeneye on July 20, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Temple of Dread play a style of death metal that is fervently faithful to the old school version of the genre. Worshiping at the throne of Pestilence and early Death, the band wastes little effort on trivialities like atmosphere or innovation, but instead takes pleasure in beating you across the face over and over with their thrashy riffs.” The world had it coming.

Skeletal – Bitterness and Burning Hatred Review

By Mark Z. on July 7, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 17 comments

“I have mixed feelings towards modern death metal. On one hand, you have a lot of bands doing pretty cool stuff, like the warped songwriting of Blood Incantation or the hardcore underpinnings of Xibalba. On the other hand, few of these modern bands are anywhere near as good as the classics. That certainly doesn’t stop them from trying, however, and Finland’s Skeletal are the latest looking to leave their mark on the scene.” Tastes like burning.

Pile of Priests – Pile of Priests Review

By Steel Druhm on May 21, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 45 comments

“The manic death metal binge continues unabated at the stately House ov Steel. Today’s subject is the second album by Denver’s death metal adventurers, Pile of Priests. Having explored a fairly conventional old school death metal approach on their 2015 Void of Enlightenment debut, the band decided to go in a more proggy direction for their eponymous sophomore outing. Apparently a concept album, it’s replete with dramatic narration, a plethora of moods, a great deal of technical finesse and a large amount of hooks.” Padre packing.

Contrarian – Their Worm Never Dies Review

By Saunders on March 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Willowtip, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 77 comments

“Dear readers, what are your favorite ’90s progressive or technical death metal albums? Perhaps it’s Cynic’s legendary Focus, Death’s Human, Edge of Sanity’s Crimson, or is it Pestilence and their classic Consuming Impulse opus? Or maybe Atheist’s brilliant Unquestionable Presence album floats your boat. Or digging deeper, a more left-field choice: Martyr’s underrated Hopeless Hopes. New York’s Contrarian pay omage to the classic ’90s progressive and technical death scene through their retro and impressively authentic throwback style of spazzed out prog death on their third LP, Their Worm Never Dies.” Undying worms and olde death.

Zealot Cult – Spiritual Sickness Review

By GardensTale on November 7, 2018 in 2018, Blood Harvest Records, Death Metal, Irish Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 47 comments

“One major player in the field were my countrymen Pestilence, particularly with their sophomore album Consuming Impulse. Until they stopped doing what they did best anyway. Then-vocalist Martin Van Drunen, with his anguished, slavering cries put the band on the map, his style often imitated but never transcended. Now, another imitator has arisen from the fields of Ireland by the name of Zealot Cult. Can they do justice to their idols, or will idolatry lead to naught but broken effigies?” Join up.

Cist – The Frozen Casket Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on May 3, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Redefining Darkness Records, Reviews, Russian Metal, Death Metal, 59 comments

“A dear friend of mine winces at the thought of lasagna with mozzarella cheese. Hailing from Northern Italy, this man knows his cooking like I know ill-timed Plato references (ask my girlfriend, who I thought would appreciate it because she’s a few months more ancient than me), but is an utter purist in this regard. Here in North America, people from all over the world take their regional or national cuisine and update it, making it bigger and arguably better. Some experiments fail, but it’s the mastery of your influences and the will to proceed and get it completely wrong in the creative phase that allows for greatness instead of mere imitation.” Create death creatively!