I was very tempted to criticise this French band’s moniker because there are absolutely loads of metal acts with the name Post Mortem, whether written as Postmortem or Post Mortem but they are the only act I found that hyphenated the words so they are unique in that sense so I’ll refrain from it, though I am sure they could have come up with something more unique to be honest.

However, band name aside this French band play pure death metal, preferring the bone pulverising you heard three decades ago but with an obviously more impactive sound and production and occasional modernised elements. The band’s debut ‘God With Horns’ really set the scene for the band back in 2016 and it is a pity they didn’t release something sooner to keep their band name on peoples tongues but instead have waited six years to get the sophomore out, but what a sophomore it is, those six years have been obliterated by this 12 song demolition with even the intro and outros being particularly effective and bookending the utter violence superbly.

Said opening intro, ‘Abyssus Abyssum Invocat’, is over three minutes long and ramps up the dramatic tension in a cinematic sense and gives you an inkling as to the direction this album has taken since the release of the last one, as ‘Genocider’ blasts in explosively after its flesh puncturing opening riff. The blast has that mechanised brutality to it, clinically delivered but with an organicity you can fully absorb. I’m sure there will be purists who won’t like the clicky style of the drumming especially the kick drum but the intensity is there for all to witness and when you get a tune like the ferocious ‘Skin Of My Enemy’ then I don’t see the problem. Indeed, this tune will strip the skin from your bones, its unmitigated speed is tempered by groove pieces especially the slight slam riff touches which I detected here and there, though they are very subtle and often very brief, as the tune ends with a section that will surprise you and I’ll leave it at that.

There is a remorseless, take no prisoners approach to this album, its venomous scathing riffing linked to the insane drum speed who, incidentally, has done the cover art for the release, as ‘Mountain Of Skulls’ slows down a tad but retains the intensity as the song wields a fine catchy groove riff melded to some atmospherics that fans of Septicflesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse will hook into. ‘Opening Of The Underworld’s Gate’s’ is massive, a colossal beast of a track, with insane blast speeds and a double kick that will threaten to upend the foundations of your abode. Added to it is the fine bass riff break as the bass work on the album is highly prominent, not especially technical to my ears but always there, making you take notice propping up the songs with considerable force and power.

What do you expect a song titled ‘The Pure Terror’ to be like? Yep you guessed it, a savage piece of music with blazing lead breaks leading into the tracks vicious speed as I was reminded of very early Malevolent Creation and Monstrosity. ‘Cryptic Revelations’ has been released as video, though the video is purely some live footage as the song plays but is an excellent track and I can see why it was picked as a focus for the album. There is no subtlety here, utter battering prowess with a supremely heavy rhythm section that creates that catchy essence death metal has.

I couldn’t find fault with any songs on the album, only songs I preferred over others such as the domineering ‘Arallu Imperator’ or ‘Soul Inquisitor’ with both tracks offering breakneck velocities and the latter using some keyboard backing and melodic death metal guitar work with a more atmospheric approach. However they don’t match the imperious incessant intensity of ‘Massive Decimation’ as here the band ticked the Sinister box band wise for me, the speed is unyielding here, and has a funky bass hook embedded that will have those neck muscles braced for impact, especially with the slam riff break which whilst brief really works, especially with the added symphonic like components. The release closes with the outro ‘Graviora Manent’ and like the intro perfectly bookends this album, offering a calming post-storm like ethos.

They might have a pretty common band name but French act Post-Mortem’s second album is one for those into devastating death metal, those preferring to be beaten to a pulp, rather than riddled with emotionless technicality, this album is utter apocalyptic destruction.

(9/10 Martin Harris)

https://www.facebook.com/postmortem68500

https://greatdanerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-monumental-pandemonium