Deathstorm - The Unfathomable

DEATHSTORM - The Unfathomable (PUTRID CULT - CD 2018)

It's good to see Deathstorm back with their second album. It took them almost five years to release it, but finally it's here through Putrid Cult. And well, being a fan of the previous CD "Nechesh", I obviously had high hopes for "The Unfathomable". And I think that maybe I’m not 100% happy with this album, but I'm also far from being disappointed. This new material pretty much follows what Deathstorm started on "Nechesh" and whether "The Unfathomable" is better album or not, it's a matter of opinion, as both are equally solid and worthy. I think that I enjoyed their debut CD a bit more, as this one sounds a bit tiring sometimes, but it’s damn good stuff anyway. 

Anyway, expect to hear a good dose of blasting, ferocious and brutal death metal shit. Deathstorm is definitely combining some old school elements from bands such as Immolation (slower parts), Krisiun, Deicide, Vital Remains or Morbid Angel, with more modern death metal elements, like Hate Eternal and some, which may even give you a small resemblance to Behemoth. Very good, powerful production and blasting right from the very beginning - these are first things, which I have personally noticed. Hell's unleashed. First few songs come with brute force and take no prisoners, just slaying mercilessly. But to be completely honest, after a while I get bored a little with that sometimes a but one-dimensional high-speed death metal ("Light to Few" is such weaker track for me), everything starts to sound blurry to me and I couldn't even notice if I'm still listening to this song or maybe it's already the next one. Maybe I'm getting a bit old, but it all sounds a bit too long for me now. So, I'm glad that Deathstorm tries sometimes to diversify their music with some slower motifs, more crushing and vicious elements like those from "Death is Sacred", which is just fantastic track, in my opinion, with that brutal and sick aura of obscure death metal. "Gateway", "Mystics of Nothingness", “Ode” and "The Unfathomable" are right next with more impressive and noteworthy elements that I particularly liked. Not just blasts, but many memorable, slower riffs, great drumming and insane, quite varied type of growls, screams, etc. Damn, some parts of "Gateway" are so Morbid Angel-esque that you would think that they’re taken from such album as “Formulas Fatal to the Flesh”. Excellent, massive song, really.  

Generally, I think that the further we get into this album, the better songs, ideas and arrangements we can hear. But it's very intense material from start to finish, it never gets soft or melodic, it never steps away from brutal death metal territory. I did feel a bit tired after a while, but every time my eyes started to close, Deathstorm was waking me up with some massive, crushing part. They can easily stand out with this album from the masses and can be proud with it. Maniacs will love it. Oh, and just check out this fuckin amazing artwork! 

Standout tracks: "Gateway", "Death is Sacred", "Ode" 

Verdict: 70/100