I was surprised to see that Dutch death metallers Antropomorphia are 25 year veterans of the scene given that I had never come across them before. Long term devotees of the death, sex and gore unholy triumvirate that provides the base for so many bands of this ilk, the current album sees the band in adventurous form as they dabble with the evil misspelling of ov, (or maybe that should be ov of), clearly seeing the success that it has brought Behemoth. Eschewing the current obsession with brutal and ‘technical’ death metal, Antropomorphia deliver their message in a decidedly old fashioned manner where the music itself is allowed to take precedence ahead of outright assault or flash wankery.
The first things that hit you out of the box are the strong vocals of Ferry Damen hitting you through a wall of percussive annihilation. Vocals aside the overall sound and style reminds me of Incubus/Opprobrium and early Death, especially through the guitar work and structure of some of the tracks, in particular ‘Carved To Pieces’ and ‘Temphioth Workings’ with their frenetic pace complimented by some intricate riffing. The production is of a very high quality with a solid low end punch that adds a great deal of weight and power that many early death metal albums lacked. The mix also draws attention to the drumming and the excellent performance from Marco Stubbe whose contribution really elevates the album.
The likes of ‘Crowned In Smouldering Ash’ and ‘Morbid Rites’ show the influence of Possessed and Autopsy whilst the ‘Nekrovaginal Secretions’ prove to be considerably more fresh than the title might suggest. It’s the imposing and downright evil ‘Gospel Ov Perversion’ that I find to be the stand out track, so proving the power of the diabolical Ov. The slightly slower pace gives the band lot more room to assert themselves, although that’s not to take anything away from the faster tracks. True to the style and influence evident throughout, the album closes with a faithful and technically impressive cover of Death’s classic ‘Open Casket’, during which I’m glad to say that Damen sticks with his own vocal style and refuses to attempt to draw upon his inner Chuck Schuldiner as the majority who cover Death tracks seem to try to do. The result is a version that stands tall alongside the original. Fine work.
With a career that has seemed to court controversy, from falling foul of the authorities due to the nature of their musical content to tattooed vaginas for album covers, it would seem that taking a little bit of a step back from acts of a controversial nature and simply letting the music speak for itself is paying dividends. Having gone back and listened to their last few albums I can say that ‘Rites Ov Perversion’ is a step forward in every respect. Whilst it may not be absolutely laden with hooks or face melting riffs, there is not a dull moment on the album. If you like your death metal as it used to be in the old days you’ll find a lot to enjoy here.
(8/10 Lee Kimber)
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