Altarage - Endinghent

ALTARAGE - Endinghent (SEASON OF MIST - LP 2017)
Altarage are band, which plays this unique, utterly obscure, sepulchral and dissonant death metal. And like these few other similar acts (Portal, Mitochondrion, Abyssal, Antediluvian and so forth), they also managed to find their own path in this dark dimension and more so, their music has great quality. I do have to admit that their previous album, "Nihl", was damn solid, I enjoyed it, even though it wasn't the easiest album to get into. But the music was getting better and better with each listen. I liked that monstrous sound, some incredible riffs, inhuman vocals and the aura, which was almost terrifying. Now Altarage are back with their second full length album, "Endinghent". The band signed a pact with Seasons of Mist, which surely is a step forward for them. And musically I have to say that "Endinghent" is a good follower to "Nihl". Again, not the easiest music, not the catchiest and most memorable death metal. But if you give it time, it may click and impress you. And provide some most unpleasant experiences.  

Listening to Altarage music always feels like a journey into the darkest and most desolate, deepest pits. Riffs are creating a frightening claustrophobic feeling, if the walls were coming closer and closer to you and they're getting heavier with each next minute. The vocals are echoing like monstrous grunts or tortured yells of something inhuman and unknown, yet terrifying. This music does not want you to abandon this horrid place though, it wants to bury you in this most eerie place, so you keep listening to it. In the end, it will crush and suffocate you. It's almost unreal how it feels to listen to this music, especially if you provide it proper conditions (headphones and total fuckin' darkness!). But this is exactly why Altarage - and many similar bands - are so exciting to listen to. Because this is fantastic experience and something almost uncanny. 

From the strict musical point of view, Altarage doesn't provide a pleasant and catchy sound. Again they use many discordant, abrasive chords, many blast beats, chaotic and truly heavy parts... There's also a lot of diversity in this album, whether we speak of tempo variations or riff style. And once more you can hear vocals, which work almost like another instrument and are responsible for creating this sinister atmosphere just as much as the rest of Altarage music. You won't find any melodic parts here, hardly any riff can be described as memorable! More so, some parts sound like pure cacophony. But again, when combined with that feeling of eeriness and insane heaviness, it all works perfectly and becomes a main strength of Altarage music.  

Just as "Nihl", "Endinghent" is also very violent record and played at fast pace in many fragments. And I have to say that I like how Altarage sounds there, especially in anthems such as "Spearheaderon", "Weighteer", "Fold Eksis" - pure, relentless force, sheer brutality and insanity. At the same time the focus on slower playing is more careful and omnipresent, especially with songs like "Incessant Magma", "Rift" or the fantastic "Barrier", which show incredible strength and viciousness. So, there is enough variation on "Endinghent", but when playing it you need to focus on this music, spend time with it, not use it as an enjoyable background for your daily routines. It won’t work that way. This album demands your attention. 

Let me also say that it's just unbelievable how did death metal evolve, creating such vicious and savage forms. At the same time, it answers the question "whether it's still possible to create something new in this style of music". With bands like Altarage the answer is "yes, definitely!". Of course, it's not music for every death metal fan, I am sure than most of them will think of it as too chaotic and "unpleasant". If you expect to hear classic death metal riffs, forget about "Endinghent". But if you want something different, then give it a chance. 

Standout tracks: "Spearheaderon", "Barrier", "Rift", "Weighteer" 

Verdict: 80/100 

Crusm - Stench of Decompose

CRUSM - Stench of Decompose (self released demo 2017)

I got this CD from London, although all members of this band are Polish. They call themselves Crusm and here's their debut recording titled "Stench of Decompose". Well, I won't write an indepth and lengthy review of it, because there's not much to write about, to be honest. There are ten minutes of grindcore / crust on this disc, with five songs plus two covers (of Disrupt and Disfear). The whole music and the attitude is to keep everything simple, energetic, raw and aggressive. And have some fun, while playing it. I suppose that Crusm achieved that exactly, because this is what we get from this demo. Very short, right to the point slabs of filth, with almost primitive, ugly feel, bit of groove, brutality and sick, disgusting vocals. And it sounds pretty solid. Nevertheless, I cannot say that I like this music. It's just not my style, really, I've never been fan of grind core, maybe except very, very few exceptions, so I can't think of any reason why would I like Crusm. I'm not saying their music sucks or something, I'm not saying it's unlistenable... Maybe it's pretty cool, but just not my cup of piss. 

Verdict: 60/100 

Undead - Redemption

UNDEAD - Redemption (Self financed CD 2016)

It's always a great pleasure to introduce an unknown, but really awesome band, hoping that these few words of positive comment will help spread their name and get them some more deserved support. Here's one such example, a fuckin beast of morbid death metal called Undead. This name has already been used by several other projects, but this one is a union of some Spanish and British musicians. They first ejaculated the "Blood Enemy" 7"EP (which I also have in my collection and will write about it later) in 2015. Then another EP, this time on CD format, has been unleashed and this one is titled "Redemption". And damn, I have to say that I love this piece of filth, it's just a perfect sounding death metal played in my most preferred style. And the only thing, which I don't like about it is that there are just four tracks. I would wish to hear more! 

Anyway, this is just an EP, so "rules are rules". Luckily, Undead rips through the speakers with relentless force, without wasting a second for bullshit, so the entire EP is a nasty pleasure to listen to. It's the old styled, vicious and aggressive metal of death, played in quite Swedish, ferocious style, which I personally can compare to bands such as Verminous, Nominon, Repugnant, Invidious and even the in-famous debut records of Morbus Chron, Necrovation and Tribulation. Obviously, all these bands were influenced by Merciless, Nihilist, Sadistic Intent, Autopsy, Grotesque... And a bunch more cults, which I will not mention, it's enough. The result, which Undead achieved on "Redemption" is almost spectacular, for me personally, because I truly worship this kind of style and every song here sounds just perfect. This stuff is fast, obscure, it's very aggressive and vicious, but at the same time these riffs are fairly memorable. Sometimes Undead incorporates even a solid melodic line or a slower part, to achieve more interesting result. Mainly though it's just fast and merciless attack of eviscerating riffage and harsh, demonic vokills. The production is very good, with Necromorbus mastering, so you can expect everything to sound spot on. So yeah... I am very impressed with this material, so I recommend it strongly. Let it revel in your lingering agony! 

Standout track: "Volatile Existence" 

Verdict: 85/100 

Puteraeon - The Empires of Death

PUTERAEON - The Empires of Death (GROWLS FROM THE UNDEGROUND 7"EP 2017)

It's been a while since Puteraeon putted out their last album "The Crawling Chaos". I'm not sure if 2018 will bring us their fourth full length finally or not, but this torture of waiting for it has just been sweetened with a 7" single titled "The Empires of Death". Unleashed by a new label, Growls From The Underground, this seven inch was a must to have for me, so I can have more complete Puteraeon collection. Luckily, I had no problems finding a copy. Let's spin it them! 

And I have to tell that "The Empires of Death" didn't disappoint me, I got exactly what I always expect to hear from bands like Puteraeon. Which is a restless, vicious and energetic dose of Swedish death metal. The first song is just powerful, "Providence" strikes without wasting time and I have to say these are some very impressive five minutes. Great riffs, very cool horrid aura and a lots of blasting or mid paced, yet vicious death metal. Definitely it's the best track here and surely one of Puteraeon's best so far, I like it a lot. Side B songs "At the Altars" and "Epitaph" are also pretty fuckin awesome, even if the music can be sometimes predictable and overplayed by many similar bands on many albums. But it just doesn't bother me, because I like that energy, which flows with Puteraeon music, I like that passionate, ferocious feel and I just think that this band has good riffs, good ideas and proper-size balls to play it right. Lovecraft influence in the lyrics is also always good to see. If you dig traditional sounding Swedish death metal you just have no right to say that Puteraeon sounds boring. Maybe this EP is not their best achievement, it's also not the best Swedish death metal piece I heard in my life... but I just enjoy it as much as I can. 

So, you also better get yourself a copy, do not hesitate, because Puteraeon are just solid band. And watch the trilogy of videos, which was created for each song from this EP, with the fine concept of "blood / fire / death". Really good work! 

Verdict: 70/100