Do you ever have those bands at your disposal that are the meat and potatoes of a genre? I don’t really mean generic as such, more so just basic really. Well, for me when it comes to Brutal Death Metal or BDM for sure it is certainly Pathology. I’ve been a fan of theirs since Age Of Onset back in 2009 and have watched their impressive output grow over the years. Sometimes it’s quantity not quality but none the less their work ethic and ever rotating line ups make them an interesting and pretty reliable mainstay and arguably underrated gem of the BDM world.

The only constant in the US BDM bands line up is drummer Dave Astor, who also drummed for Cattle Decapitation on a number of releases as well as the less well-known Being Killed. He is sort of the glue of Pathology and I very much look at this band as his own with a variety of other BDM musicians getting involved for varying periods of time. Sort of a like a weird BDM supergroup in a way. Take an album like 2008’s Incisions Of Perverse Debauchery, this is straight up, no messing BDM, fast and full of sonic torment. However, go to 2012 and The Great Purification and you will find a more refined beast. Now in 2021 we come to the aptly named The Everlasting Plague the monumental eleventh full length from Pathology, put out through Nuclear Blast.

At first I thought yawn, another ‘epic’ intro track but A Pound Of Flesh served to prove me wrong. The sweeping guitar melodies are powerful, truly impactful and laced with Tech and BDM influence. There are a few little lyrical hooks too which is a pleasant surprise also. Perpetual Torment goes on as a further showcase to guitarist Dan Richardson. The only faltering moment in this song is the Deathcore styled breakdown, lame. However even something like this Pathology still smash it out of the park. Engaging In Homicide brings in further vocal hooks, this is an aspect that suits the band so very well. Quite honestly this stands to be one of the most impressive Pathology records I’ve ever heard. Giving more of that huge guitar energy is Diseased Mortality, honestly this blending of Tech, BDM and almost traditional Heavy Metal is a match made in heaven (or hell) for me, truly striking, memorable and utterly fantastic.

By the time the second half of this release rolls around we kind of know what to expect, Corrosive Cranial Affliction is a brutal yet well written banger and a perfect summary of The Everlasting Plaque as a whole really. Is it still packing punch though? Well yes and no, I wouldn’t say that I’m tired of this record at all but certainly the wonder does begin to fade slightly, you could perhaps argue that the whole album could be just a couple of tracks shorter. All this said As The Entrails Wither is a massive blast of bombastic proportion and still amps up the evil sounding guitars of Dan Richardson, this is the sort of snappy diversity I like in albums at their later stage. I still stand by what I said earlier though, the final two songs (especially Decomposition Of Millions) whilst still good do drag a touch, overall a brilliant album but perhaps a little too overcrowded and ambitious in places.

Let it be known that I honestly think Dan Richardson has delivered one of the best guitar performances of 2021 on this record, truly it is marvellous, dynamic and in fact pretty current too without room for sounding dated in the future. Pathology may well be the spawn of Dave Astor but Dan steals the show here, without him this would be nothing more than a bland yet strong BDM release. If you’re looking to get into Pathology this is a great place to begin, it might even be one of my favourites from the band.

(8/10 George Caley)

https://www.facebook.com/PathologyMusic

https://pathologymetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-everlasting-plague