YES! A decent, old school death metal album lands in my filthy box which was much needed after I appeared to upset the whole of Belgium with my review of the Moss Upon The Skull album the other day. I feel guilty……I really do…..
This is the fourth album from German menaces Deathrite and is quite a leap forward from their last two (2013’s Into Extinction and 2015’s Revelation Of Chaos). It’s still the raw, crude Hellhammery / Nunslaughtery carnage but the songs just seem “better” and the album flows in a way their others haven’t.
Slow & spooky opener “When Nightmares Reign” evokes huge dollops of creepy atmosphere for the first two minutes before an unholy death-grunt signals the lads to pick up the pace and we’re hurtling along, propelled by spiteful, barbarous riffs into the song proper. Tony’s reverb soaked vocals and the guitar tone of Tom & Andy inject such a dose of late 80s authenticity that I found myself quickly checking I wasn’t playing a re-release.
This is good and addictive stuff with the variety of song-writing here ensuring plenty of repeat spins. Want a seven minute epic? No problem…. Deathrite have you covered with “Demon Soul” ……plus there’s the nine minute plus “Temptation Calls” if you’ve had your Weetabix. Sub three minute crusty blast? Have a portion of “Bloodlust”. All bases are covered here and I can’t see any fan of death metal not enjoying this. A lot.
(8.5/10 Mark Eve)
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