This is a German Death metal band whom have a remarkable sound and presence, like the masters Death, Benediction and Obituary. References also include Morgoth, but hey, you get the picture. Temple of Dread started last year when Ex-Slaughterday member Markus Bünnemeyer started to collaborate the music, whilst the lyrics were penned by long-time friend Frank Albers who peppers the usual gruesome association with the musical style with dark black humour.

‘Question of Honour’ is simply amazing, there’s an over torrent of Obituary, with an underpinning foundation of Death. The barrage and amalgamation is pretty special, no longer are we in the realms of sound-a-like groups. From start to finish, this is responsive and very strong. The mix is full and meaty, and the songs themselves are easily distinguishable between one another. Particular highlights include the gruesome ‘Cottage in the Backyard’. ‘Sentenced to Life’ is another slab of proficient Florida inspired Death metal. As I mentioned earlier, unlike many others, this has its own deadly soul and does not sound like cover versions. The artwork also bucks the trend, although in the recent life cycle of proper traditional death metal bands, this may be harder to find due to the fact it’s not your typical gnarly painting. Look closer, there are elements of fun…Overall, I like the transition between tracks and the general flow of the release works well.

Whilst you probably have something in your music collection that would sit alongside this, ‘Blood Carving Mantras’ is a worthy additional entry.

(8/10 Paul Maddison)

https://www.facebook.com/TempleofDread

https://testimonyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/temple-of-dread-blood-craving-mantras