Reviews: Deliberate Miscarriage, Imperialist, Abscession, Genocide Pact (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Deliberate Miscarriage - Mortuary Melodies (Self Released)

Yeah, I know. That name right? But hey it's gruesome death metal, calling your band the Fluff Kittens doesn't really work (though I'd pay to see it). Hailing from South Wales Deliberate Miscarriage are a two piece consisting of vocalist/bassist Charlie Rogers (ex-Sodomized Cadaver) and guitarist Adam Duffield (Blind Divide). They are joined on this record by special guest drummer Lynn Jeffs of Ingested, making for a nasty, unholy trio ready to unleash their gore soaked death. Consisting of all of the songs from their previous EP's, as well as 7 additional slabs of death and along with a Pestilence cover. 

This is 14 tracks of vicious, flesh peeling death, with a sick sense of humour and a style that will appeal to fans of Cannibal Corpse and the Almighty Benton himself. Mortuary Melodies is the debut full length and while the demos set out their stall as a blasting, gnarly death metal band, it's the production of Nico Beninato (Ingested, Unbounded Terror) that really breathes new life into these songs. We dive straight into the pools of entrails with Splattered Toddlers the riffage meaty and persistent, before it shifts after the first verse, highlighting the technicality of the band. Yes friends behind this gore soaked facade, beats the heart of a technical death metal band. Just check out the nifty basswork at the back of on Fowl So Foul. Or the numerous times things go off in another direction riff-wise all the while the band maintaining their lust for horrific lyrical content delivered with a knowing smile.   

Speaking of lyrics it is also great to hear the vocals, so many death bands rely solely on just incomprehensible grunting, here you can hear every gruesome word that is being growled at you. Bringing in Lynn behind the kit also reaps massive rewards, as he's a beast, adding his volatile yet focussed style, to make these songs much more impressive than on the Demo EPs. With some hefty grooves on Gutted With A Butter Knife (which sounds painful), and Masochistic Masturbation (which also sounds painful). There's also some outright aggression in the form of Sodium Laureth Sulfate Asphyxiation and Intestines In The Mudguards amongst many other blood splattered treats. Playing death metal at its most horrific, brutal but also strangely accessible too. Deliberate Miscarriage have carved out an album that would soundtrack a Jeffrey Dahmer dinner party. 8/10

Imperialist - Zenith (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Are we alone in the universe? It's an age old question but one that may never be answered. However if Cali band Imperialist have anything to do with it, they will make sure that any aliens that visit us will love extreme metal. Following up their excellent 2018 release Cipher the proponents of sci-fi black metal Imperialist come back with their second full length album. Owing their style to Dissection, Vector and Immortal, Imperialist play a rampaging, thrashy style of black metal that brings some more progressive leanings too, the songs becoming longer and more expressive as riff upon riff are built up on songs such as He Who Mastered Shapes and Majesty Of The Void where the extended runtimes are used to fully explore the science fiction based lyrical content, adding cinematic vistas to the already harsh black metal soundscapes. 

The excellent lead guitar interplay between Sergio Soto and Bryant Quinones gives this record it's precision riffage, focussed and lethal throughout, as Sergio also squawks and screams about the mysteries of the universe. Not to be outplayed drummer Rod Quinones provides explosive percussion battery as Joshua Alvarez's bass cuts through the more expressive leads with full on lightspeed gallops. While Cipher was the band establishing their sound, Zenith is Imperialist, legitimizing it with a type of mechanised musical muscle that shines through on tracks such as Terminal Odyssey. If we aren't alone in the universe then Imperialist are determined to wake up any life on other planets with Zenith no matter if they are hostile or not. 8/10

Abscession - Rot Of Ages (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Whenever you need your death metal fix Transcending Obscurity Records will have you covered. This time they are giving us some grinding HM-2 Swedeath from Abscession. Rat King Crawl is this trio's second album their first coming in 2015. On this follow up they have created a record that viciously attacks from the opening distorted grind of Rat King Crawl to the all out death assault of Prometheus Unbound, it's paced like a treadmill that has lost it's mind, only the final synth heavy instrumental Età Della Putrefazione moving away from the blistering old school death metal. Skaldir handles all of the guitars/bass and keys on the record, so it's him that drives the majority of this record with Markus Porsklev attacking his kick drums like it's an enemy. 

They make the record the abrasive piece of work it is changes between crusty speed riffs on the title track and When The Guillotine Falls are balanced by the groovier Rains Of Death and Dead Man's Hate which is has that chugging melodeath style. Rounding out the band is vocalist Thomas Clifford who growls and roars like and uncaged beast, but barks out the lyrics in such a way that you can understand every word. Rot Of Ages skillfully balances Swedish death metal with the more aggressive style of other European death metal, crank the volume and bang your head. 7/10

Genocide Pact - S/T (Relapse Records)

Genocide Pact is death metal with a purpose. Angered and outraged by the state of the world these Washington DC natives have compacted their rage at the world at large into another record of nihilistic, savage death metal. Having been on many people's "One To Watch" list for a while now this self titled sophomore full length is guaranteed to bring them to your attention. Having toured with bands like Gatecreeper, Power Trip and Toxic Holocaust you can sort of get a feel for what kind of DM Genocide Pact play. There's no Swedeath, or technical influences neither are there any horror or sci-fi themes, this is raw, rabid death/crossover. 

Frontman/guitarist Tim Mullany locks in with guitarist Demir Soyer for the ferocious riffs that are strewn across this 8 track record. Led To Extinction gets us going with something direct and violent, bringing groove from the outset. The bottom end of bassist Mike Nolan and drummer Connor Donegan, vicious enough to keep things sounding nice and unpolished. The problem is this is about where it stays musically too, sitting too comfortably in the thrash/death quagmire to really try and spread it's wings at all. I'm sure there will publications that will sing the praises of this record but for me there are a multitude of bands doing it as well. 6/10