Blood Mortized

Steel Druhm’s Top Ten(ish) of 2012

Steel Druhm’s Top Ten(ish) of 2012

Neither snow, holiday hangovers nor lackluster apocalypses can keep Steel Druhm from showcasing his picks for Top Ten(ish) of the year in metal. He did all the work, you just need to read carefully, nod approvingly and give some harrumphs to the Steel One.

Record(s) o’ the Month – May 2012

Record(s) o’ the Month – May 2012

As Angry Metal Guy, He Who Needs No Titles but Has Them Anyway, Angry Metal Emperor of Angry Metal Internetia, I take it upon myself to give a single recommendation of the best album that was released in a single month which I put up on the sidebar. However, May has been a particularly good month. So while I am going to recommend a single record and stick it on the sidebar, I believe that it is important that we actually tell you about four records that deserve your attention. So let me get to it.

Blood Mortized – The Key to a Black Heart Review

Blood Mortized – The Key to a Black Heart Review

Just in time to wash away the bitter taste of Six Feet Under, comes this ridiculously sick death metal masterstroke by Blood Mortized. Taking the vicious old school Swedish death sound from their Bestial EP and improving on it in every way, The Key to a Black Heart is exactly what you want from the style and death metal in general.

Demonical – Death Infernal Review

Demonical – Death Infernal Review

I’ve said it before and now please allow me to say it again. I love old school Swedish death metal. I think it was one of the best pure metal sounds and when done right, its like a little slice of hell on Earth. I recently sang the praises of Blood Mortized for doing the style enormous justice and now here comes Demonical, yet another Swedish retro death mob. Death Infernal is their third release and as with their prior material, it’s a full on love fest for all things Entombed, Dismember, Grave and Unleashed. Featuring members who did time in Grave, Interment and other SDM acts, these guys have been around the block and clearly know what they’re doing genre-wise. While there’s little to no originality on display here, that need not spell disaster if a band executes their chosen influences and style with skill and conviction. For the most part, Demonical manages to do just that and delivers some decent Swedish flavored death mayhem. While not not a perfect album, it’s solid, serviceable and at times pretty darn good.

Blood Mortized – Bestial Review

Blood Mortized – Bestial Review

Steel Druhm once loved the retro thrash wave and rode it for all it was worth (as he talked of himself in the third person). However, like all waves, trends and scenes, too much becomes too much. As my passion for that movement fades, I find myself quite eagerly embracing the retro Swedish death metal wave that seems to be gaining momentum. Interment and Entrails already have quality retro death metal albums out and now Blood Mortized is set to contribute more excellently time challenged carnage. Composed of vets of the Swedish extreme metal scene and including former members of Amon Amarth and Crypt of Kerberos, Blood Mortized’s four track EP Beastial is a scabby, crusty slab of rotten and fetid death just like Entombed, Dismember and Grave used to make circa 1990-1992. Clearly inspired by the “Sunlight Studio” days of yore, these songs will take you back in time before the days of “melodic death metal” and “death with clean singing.” Yes, this is raw, filthy old school death and it sounds gory and glorious!