Well this is a little charmer of an EP out of Chicago. A nice, gnarly build up on ‘Sultans Of Incest’ before the rabid dogs are unleashed in an avalanche of old school filthy death metal with all the subtlety of a tower block collapsing. It a great break down the doors introduction and follow up ‘Onslaught To Absolution ‘ cranks the speed just a notch higher. The riff almost stumbles over itself but always rights itself in the end speed into insanely catchy territory. Think Destroyer 666 kind of drive, half buried but still nasty and feral. It’s the kind of sound that should be built out of muck and pig iron with everything held together by wore and gaffa tape.

‘Dead Rats’ drills down into even lower gears, think Teitanblood if they decided to thrash it up. There’s a fantastic dark atmosphere here; chaotic, infernal pits constantly collapsing and reforming and tearing flesh limb from limb. It’s just cracking death metal; furious and unhinged, and an utter racket that still has a weird sense of grim, murderous tar pit melody.

‘War Lust’, ‘Final Crucifixion’ and ‘Swine Cult’ rip past with the care and attention to bystanders of a rusty, mud caked tank hurtling downhill. Ah it’s kind of glorious.

Now this isn’t some bunch of newcomers mind despite being the debut EP. Richard Olsen, ex-Profanatica, is the guitarist. Joined by drummer Dave Clark, bassist Tim Pearson (ex-The Chasm) and vocals and guitars from ex-Nachtmystium guy Pat Clancy, you can kind of see why this is just so damned good. It is just twenty odd minutes of direct, unclean violence in musical form seamlessly put together and let fly.

Yeah, if you want something dark, dirty and thunderous this is definitely for you. Hits the spot. Hard.

(8/10 Giz)

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https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/elysian-inferno