Sweden’s Reaper dropped an amazing release in 2019 with ‘Unholy Nordic Noise’ and having caught up with their previous demo delightfully titled ‘Ravenous Storm of Piss’, it’s fair to say I was excited about this one, which to be fair came out of the blue, or in keeping with the band, out of the darkness with their ‘Piss, Bile and Violence’.

Listening to the harrowing narrative intro, the “festival to which todays festivals can’t compete” that actually depicts the death and dismemberment (the last public drawing and quartering) of Robert-François Damiens (Damier), following his unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Louis XV; the atmospheric suspense grows…you know there will be a massive assault coming. This comes with ‘Dogs of Crumbled Firmament’. The blackened d-beat assault and grim orc-like (PR material description not mine!) vocals really set up a massive rush of excitement. If you take a look through the track titles you get an idea of the loose theme of the release also. Delightful little tunes such as ‘The Sweetness of the Wound’ and ‘Me, You and the Juices of Death’ continue in the same “vein” of previous releases. Reaper haven’t changed their style, they have just perfected it a touch more. Its slicker in the playing but still comes across as raw as hell, as most will want. Yes it’s an angry wasp, a classic sound, no way attempting to be modern or for that matter forced retro. It simply works! The blurb accompanying the album states first-wave and early Bathory as an influence, I can hear that, there are similarities. It’s simply raw blackened metal, some call it black thrash, others punk inspired black metal (which is where I would put it). Whatever your flavour, it’s really energising and really gets your blood pumping. ‘Come Nature, Come Cruelty, Come Death’ d-beats your brain cells, blasts out the filth and with the former track (‘The Sweetness of the Wound’) stand out within this album.

Witchcraft and devilry seem to be a feature on the awesome cover artwork, a great choice of colours too. Of course if you look at other meanings for the album’s title then “flesh” here is disposable, the music is nasty and invigorating, the whole concept works. In our disease ridden world, Reaper have used their time wisely and mastered their dungeon filth and fury

 (8.5/10 Paul Maddison)