Reviews: Master, Resin Tomb, Upon Stone (Reviews By Paul Hutchings, Mark Young & Matt Bladen)

Master – Saints Dispelled (Hammerheart Records) [Paul Hutchings]

It’s been nearly six years since the legendary Master released Vindictive Miscreant. I reviewed it back in 2018 and it gained a fine 8/10 and every death metal accolade I could throw at it. For Master, formed in the US but long since based in the Czech Republic, are more reliable than your gran giving you socks for Christmas. Saints Dispelled is their 14th album, and it does exactly what you would expect Master to do – it levels with a skull crushing assuredness, reminding you that in a world of increasing uncertainty, some things are always there to provide that solidity.

The combination of death / thrash that has been Master’s style for nearly 40 years is evident once more on this album. Ten tracks of pulverising metal that rips and roars from start to finish. There’s a visceral hunger that lurks within this band, powered by the constant bass and growling vocals of Paul Speckman, whose lust for the old school death metal sound is evident once more, despite his turning 60 in 2023. He sounds as vile and angry as ever, with his lyrical approach once more turning stomachs. Here he’s accompanied by new drummer Peter Bajci and returning guitar player Alex ‘93’ Najezchelba.

Saints Dispelled doesn’t slow for a minute. Opener Destruction In June, which I assume isn’t some cryptic link to one of the Teutonic big four of thrash on their holidays, starts with an intensity that many can’t generate throughout recordings. It rarely misses a beat from here to the finale of Alienation Of Insanity some 45 minutes later. Powerful, with a solid production on the record, this is no-nonsense death metal that simply levels. It’s difficult to fault on any level, especially with the savage driving bass lines of Speckman, which power forward, very much the engine of the band and creating a sound that has earned the reputation as the Motörhead of death metal.

Whilst Speckman may be in the veteran stage, there is no evidence that he is slowing down one iota. The neck snapping title track or Minds Under Pressure both savage the listener early in proceedings and by the time you get to the midway point, it’s all you can do to gasp for breath and then hurl yourself back into the fray. I saw the word ravenous used in the press release that accompanied this release, and I can’t find a better word to describe the sheer frenetic pace and appetite that explodes from the speakers. Marred And Diseased is aptly named, such is the fiery brutality that it emits. Can you get much better in the OSDM department one must ask. The answer is probably no.

There is brief respite, at the start of The Wiseman, which tinkers with an Oriental chime before ripping the next layer of skin from the face with another salvo of visceral rage. Razor sharp solos combine with thick, powerful riffs. It’s intense, relentless, crushingly heavy, and if you like this style of music, a real treat. Even the bonus tracks Nomad and Alienation Of Insanity don’t give an inch but continue to smash you across the head. It may not be the best album to drive to unless you want a fine for speeding, but if you want to exorcise a couple of demons, then it probably would be ideal for that intensive post-Christmas workout. But this is an album that isn’t just for Christmas, it’s one that should remain in the playlist throughout 2024 and serves as a reminder that the old school continue to deliver music of the highest order. Master show no signs of slowing. And that’s okay with me. 9/10

Resin Tomb - Cerebral Purgatory (Transcending Obscurity) [Mark Young]

Dissonant death grind metal!!

This 8-track head-melter comes courtesy of Australia’s Resin Tomb, their first full-length release that follows on from 2020’s Resin Tomb and 2022’s Unconsecrated / Ascendancy. And it starts with a blast, with Dysphoria coming in with a chaos fuelled yet controlled start. The guitars are discordant yet mesh perfectly with the brutal beats coming in from Perry Vedelago. Its not straight forward but it is so rewarding, sounding so fresh compared against recent extreme releases that say they’re this or that. Flesh Brick brings that full on assault, with some absolute throat tearing from Matt Budge as it seems he is spewing his own soul out. Its fantastic as they turn the sonic screws tightly changing that attack from 1.20 onwards the song takes on new form, and if anything becomes heavier as these ‘light-touch’ moments bend and shift to allow it to climax.

Scalded is another barnstormer, pulling you this way and that with one of the gnarliest sounding riffs that underpin the whole song. When they drop the blast-beats, it’s because the song demanded it not to fill space caused by lack of ideas. Its furious, heavy and prime extreme metal. Cerebral Purgatory hits like classic Death, with a muted guitar introduction that bursts into life. Its one of those riffs that cause involuntary smiles to break out and heads to start nodding. Its supreme and leads into a what can be described as a nightmare in audio. It starts, slows speeds, all on the drop of a hat. Fabulous and needs to be heard NOW.

Human Confetti, with a guitar line that drops like confetti blowing in the wind, this is a tour-de-force in how to drop an instant classic. The initial spidery arrangement is blown away about a third of the way in and just takes off. I mean its criminal that this album has such an amazing trajectory to it, each song has offered something different from the one before, such as the almost-jangly start to Purge Fluid, which reminds of an amped-up Mastodon before they decide to kick you in the guts.

Concrete Crypt, possessing the second most gnarliest sounding riff here, a bout of organised chaos that ushers in the final track, Putrescence which has probably the most straight forward build here, which is not a disservice. Its straight for the throat, with a commanding attack that is brutal, but you can hear everything that is going on. Class.

I amazed by how good this is, we have all seen releases that say that it is something i.e., heavier than, more extreme than and all that. I had no idea what to expect given their own description, but it is one of the best things I’ve heard in ages. Its heavy, direct and the riffs confound and excite at the same time. 

Everything is on point, the drumming as mentioned before is top-class and forms the bedrock from which everything else springs from. The songs themselves are measured so well, not longer than they need to be and even the shorter ones cram a ton of into their relative short run lengths. Its 8 songs of just future classic metal and raises the bar as to what bands should be doing.

I know it’s way too early to talk albums of the year considering its mid-way through January, but this has got some stone-cold classics on it that will find it onto my songs of the year list. I make no apologies for the review as it just got better with each song. 10/10

Upon Stone - Dead Mother Moon (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]

Melodic death metal, let's be honest mostly it's the realm of the Scandinavians, I mean they did invent it. But within every country there lies a few bands that emulate the Scandi sound. Upon Stone, from the San Fernando Valley in California, manage to almost mirror those early days of At The Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, but with the aggression of the US hardcore scene. Lilting acoustics often punctuate the heaviness of tracks such as Dusk Sang Fairest while Paradise Failed takes a step towards the 'core' sound, as Shadows Fall singer Brian Fair adds extra vocal anger. 

Segueing into Nocturnalism, an interlude that layers the clean guitars and opens into To Seek And Follow The Call Of Lions. The trio of vocalist/bassist Xavier Wahlberg, drummer Wyatt Bentley and guitarist Ronny Marks, formed the band to pay homage to CoB, In Flames and Dissection, playing some demos but never really going anywhere. Revitalising under the pandemic with guitarist Gage Goss joining the ranks, they jumped into the studio and started writing this record that eventually became the EP Where Wild Sorrows Grow, improving on the demos with added synths and acoustic guitars, continued on this full length album Dead Mother Moon and the title track especially. 

Upon Stone pitch their tent in Scandi melodeath but can't ignore the members hardcore backgrounds, so that style is also strong too on My Destiny; A Weapon. They even cap things off with a cover of Dig Up Her Bones from the poppiest version of The Misfits, given a melodeath makeover. This hybrid of influences and commitment to making the album sound like the 90's reinvigorated for 2024. Melodeath with renewed purpose, Upon Stone slay on Dead Mother Moon. 8/10