Memento Mori

Rapture – Paroxysm of Hatred Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on January 23, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, 47 comments

“Everyone pictures themselves as the protagonist. Ask one hundred people what they’d do in a zombie apocalypse and they’ll all give you the same answer: survive. And yet, someone has to be that guy who gets mauled right near the beginning of the outbreak, or who foolishly stands near a window and is promptly eaten alive by the horde, squirming helplessly for their last miserable minutes. Nobody thinks they’re cannon fodder; that is something proven and earned by an individual. Paroxysm of Hatred, the sophomore release from Greece’s Rapture, have proven themselves to be just that.” No, not THAT Rapture.

Ectoplasma – Cavern of Foul Unbeings Review

By Kronos on January 18, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 21 comments

“Ectoplasma might be new to the game, but the resolutely old-school Cavern of Foul Unbeings would never betray the fact. Their first LP since a 2016 debut, Cavern plunders all manner of late ’80s and early ’90’s death metal from Obituary to Death acquiring riffs and inspiration, complete with the B-movie samples and a noticeable absence of bass guitar.” Old death dies hard.

War Possession – Doomed to Chaos Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on November 1, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 66 comments

“The extreme genres of metal are utterly obsessed with war, death, and violence, suggesting the view that the human experience is one of cruelty largely restrained, with all of us united by the cold embrace of death. Extreme metal seems to explore these ideas intently, attempting to find a certain beauty or, at the very least, excitement in the worst impulses of man. Art, at its core, seems to try and explore and express a particular facet of the human experience and imbue it with some sort of message or worldview. We’re naturally repulsed by death and destruction, but, like the story of Leonitus looking at corpses in Plato’s Republic, we’re also fascinated by it: ‘Look for yourselves, you evil wretches! Take your fill of the beautiful sight!'” Man Unkind.

Soulrot – Nameless Hideous Manifestations Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on April 24, 2017 in 2017, Chilean Metal, Death Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 38 comments

“Which brings us to Chile’s Soulrot and their debut Nameless Hideous Manifestations. The honeymoon phase of Swe-death, in its prime with Left Hand Path and Like an Everflowing Stream, still brings back those memories of the excitement we long for and want to rekindle. So, like asking her to wear that red dress from that party a few years ago to give you the same gut-punch feeling, we seem to ask little more of our Swe-death than that it remind us of what it once was.” Swe-don’t bring me flowers anymore.

Ruin – Drown in Blood Review

By Lokasenna on April 23, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Death Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 24 comments

“Hailing from Who-the-hell-knows-where, USA, the generically named Ruin originally formed in 1991, only to have its membership swallowed by time in the slammer and/or sanitarium. Reformed in 2015, they’ve sluiced out a swampy sort of old-school death metal their label promises will be reminiscent of early Abhorrence and Bolt Thrower.” Out of the penal league, into the venal league.

Ekpyrosis – Asphyxiating Devotion Review

By Akerblogger on January 18, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, Italian Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 4 comments

“The stoics believed in ekpyrosis, the yearly destruction of the universe by an all-consuming inferno. They believed that life is a cycle of destruction and rebirth. Recreation out of chaos. Ekpyrosis embody ekpyrosis through their fiery homage to old-school death metal and Asphyxiating Devotion is the unrelenting debut record by this Italian four-piece.” Burning the way to rebirth!

Infamovs – Under The Seals of Death Review

By Ferrous Beuller on January 18, 2017 in 2017, Chilean Metal, Death Metal, Labels, Memento Mori, Death Metal, 19 comments

“Introducing Chile’s very own Infamovs, champions of that perennially classic style of exhumed, grave dusted death metal, which we all love to love. And, yes, I did spell the band name correctly; you’re going to have to be extra kvlt to read this one.” There is no “v” in old school.

Horrified – Descent into Putridity Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on October 20, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, English Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 14 comments

“Before my move to Japan six months ago, I spent many happy years in England’s North East, feasting on stotties and Craster kippers while participating enthusiastically in the unique drinking culture. The metal scene there is really rather good, though recently not many of the bands have made much of a splash outside the region save for pagan black metallers Wodensthrone. When I saw we’d received a promo from Newcastle-based Horrified, then, I jumped at the chance to review it.” Old school death by way of England isn’t always an easy trip.