Stench of Decay - Where Death and Decay Reign

STENCH OF DECAY - Where Death and Decay Reign (DETEST / ME SACO UN OJO - demo LP 2010)

At the time, when I was purchasing my copy of the Miasma demo (on vinyl from Detest Records) I also decided to get a similar release from the Finnish death metal combo called Stench of Decay. This is also a co-release between Detest Records and Me Saco Un Ojo Records and again came in form of lovely 12”LP. Stench of Decay was formed already in 2004 and after one, completely unknown demo from 2005, they released this piece of dark, lethal music titled “Where Death and Decay Reign“ in 2009. Being Finnish band I think they had equally big burden (speaking of their country’s death metal legacy) to the Swedish death metal bands, but maybe even a harder task to work on, as the Finnish bands once developed a more brutal and darker death metal sound, which they very quickly let to perish, opting for this ridiculous death’n’roll hybrid, which annoyed me so much (Xysma, Convulse, Sentenced…). What then can a Finnish death metal band play in 2009? Would it be possible for them to collect the legacy of their scene and then record something similar, maybe something between Demigod’s, Convulse’s and Demilich’s early albums? Hmm, I sincerely doubted that to be ever possible. And no, Stench of Decay, even if has some traces of their country’s old scene, do not really sound Finnish.

They’re more like a Scandinavian death metal in general, as some hints of the Swedish style can be traced here and there, but that comes along with some similarities to the good old Abhorrence and Amorphis. Plus, if I can point this out, I feel like Stench of Decay took a lot of influence from the good old Bolt Thrower. Those more melodic riffings in the beginning of each song will clearly bring you the memory of “IV Crusade” to your mind and that feeling will also be carried with that sort of marching, brutal rhythm, which is present quite often in each track. “Creation of Carnal Lust” is the best example for that kind of song, but really all three tracks will speak to you in the same language, with the difference that the title track is slightly more focused on the fast rhythm and aggressive measures. But I love the dynamics of those songs; how have they been built and what the structures of them are like (four songs in 24 minutes!). There are many infectious and memorable tunes, but also many which will crush your head with their heaviness and massive death metal nature. Stench of Decay likes to open with the harmonious riff, but will certainly make sure to provide as much aggression and energy as it is necessary. And that Abhorrence / Amorphis crushing cover of “Vulgar Necrolatry” (with the guest vocal performance of Jukka Kolehmainen!!!!!!!!) – this is something beyond my expectations; one of my favourite songs of all times, here so well performed, so brilliantly played, only Jukka’s vocals are not so deep anymore, but they’re fine anyway. If I also compliment the production of the demo, which is very crisp, very nice to ears and full of lethal energy, then it may seem like Stench of Decay recorded one of the coolest demos of the first decade of 2000. Great, recommendable stuff, so maybe it’s about time for Stench of Decay to finally put out a full length album?

Standout track: “Creation of Carnal Lust”, “Vulgar Necrolatry”

Final rate: 85/100