Ready to be corrupted by death? Of-course you are and providing ‘No Life Here’ at ‘The End Of The Rope’ (to name two tracks) we have mysterious French duo J (bass) and M (guitars, Vocals and drums). Although they lurk in anonymity here, they are apparently “long-time members of the French scene.” They also have an ally here from the exalted Vampire Of Black Imperial Blood Meyhna’ch, ex of the deceased and revered Mütiilation as well as many other cult acts, providing additional vocals. The vocals on this short 30-minute debut are indeed a serious talking point as they have a ghastly authority about them. Once the noose tightens on that aforementioned opener and the drums mercilessly pummel in, they are unleashed in all their cadaverous, low intoned, grotesque glory.

The overall rancid effect of this is to give the music that cavernous metal ov death sound which has sickeningly sprawled out the tomb of late. However, it is not all barbaric and suffocating art, there are moments of groove amidst the lurching melody which along with the production lift things very slightly from the abyss. Speed is sometimes battering and the craggy pulverising might at full pelt is suitably destructive but when slower mass lets things breathe a little there is an apocalyptic vibe. Some of the melody is slightly reminiscent of recent Napalm Death as it slithers out of tracks like ‘Darkest Light’ and there is certainly a wretched, doomed extinction feel, wallowing beneath the dirt and decay.

The nine songs are kept suitably brief and don’t hang about in getting to the meat of the bones. There’s a nasty and sickening feel about it all and occasionally the plunging miasma of bands such as Cruciamentum, Portal and Altarage is cited by this grizzly bone-crushing feast. Guitar scalpels are sharpened and pierce skin on ‘Horror And Aftermath,’ the leaden stomp of the drums and gargling vocals bring the low end and there’s a bit of early Entombed about the underlying melody. Only death is truly real here and we even take a visit to its home and get the fear that the mortician may well be carrying out our last rites on the slab whilst listening to this on their headphones. ‘Here is no salvation, here is no peaceful rest” we are told and you better believe it. Like a Mondo death film, there is no light at end of tunnel here, life is pointless and brief, a never-ending repetitive cycle and the cheerless message is that depression and madness is all we have to distract us along the way. The final message “nobody is there, nobody cares” is certainly realistic and you cannot fault the way things are expressed here both musically and lyrically. Corrupter strike as ones to watch on the basis of this but only true disciples of death, whose sanity is already corrupted, should heed their call.

(7.5/10 Pete Woods)

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/descent-into-madness