Considering the vast amount of death metal bands out there in the world, there are relatively few who capture the true essence of death metal. Of course, this can mean different things to different people, but for those people who remember when death metal was a scary new phenomenon; this album is for them without a doubt. Bodyfarm’s brand of death metal drags the genre kicking and screaming back to its inception; back to when things weren’t so complicated. There was no `tech death’, `melodic death metal’ or any of these often confusing sub genres and categorisations. Instead there was just a new, unsettling, dark, grim and heavy sound, which sounded like it had crawled out from a festering, foul and unholy place.

These Dutch death metal devotees have only been going since 2009, but it is no vast leap of the imagination to assume that this, their debut album, was released in 1999 or the early 2000s. It has that classic, dark, thick, impenetrable feel of some of the classic death metal albums. The sheer weight of it nearly knocks you off your feet, as it gushes out of the speakers at you in a tide of fetid aural nastiness. The production is about as authentic as it is possible to get; great black slabs of guitar which are right at the forefront, almost all other instruments are buried under the monstrous, crushing riffs. The vocals have that rasping, semi-hysterical edge to them and are slightly too quiet (just like many of my favourite old death metal albums). There is a harsh, bassy rumble throughout the album which in my opinion adds to the grim, old school proceedings perfectly, complemented by some frantic, well-played guitar solos (which are also slightly too quiet). It may sound like a criticism, but to me it isn’t a classic-sounding old fashioned death metal album unless the production is slightly out of balance!

The question of originality is rendered redundant here; Bodyfarm’s music is best enjoyed when taken wholly for what it is – truly authentic, `old-school’ death metal. Those extreme metal fans over a certain age will definitely be able to pick sections out of all these songs that remind them of their favourite old death metal bands If `Malevolence’ was a bottle of wine, I would write on the label: full-bodied and heavy, with notes of early Bolt Thrower, Grave and Asphyx and an undertone of Demigod. Best enjoyed with a lump of raw, rancid meat. Contains sulphur.

So no, it isn’t original. However, it is good, enjoyable, dark, grim and heavy death metal, the way it used to be played by certain classic bands. If that is your thing, you will definitely love this (it even contains a cover of `Cryptic Realms’ by Massacre, in case you were still doubting their old school credentials). If you are looking for the newest `tech death’ sensation, look elsewhere.

(7.5/10 Jon Butlin) 

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