You can always rely on the Finnish death metal scene to unleash the most barbaric, hideous death metal to pulverise you to dust as all the band members In Tramalizer reside in or have been members of other bands over the years. This is the band’s first full length and what a debut it is too, setting the bar extremely high for subsequent releases. However, that is the future and in the here and now these Finns play some of the most grotesque devastating death metal that you’re likely to hear this decade as every song is saturated with brutality but embedded with their own unique musicality and melody to really hook you in.

Opening with a sort of self-titled track called ‘Tramalized’ the horror flick like intro has a dark Gothic like persona only for it to be obliterated by the buzz saw guitar riff and asphyxiating density that follows. The vocals are awesome, possessing ugliness but tinged with a slight demonic toning that reminded me of Paganizer. Fans of Scandinavian death metal will be in their element here, particularly Dismember, Entrails etc., but also for sheer rancidity displayed acts like pre-Amorphis era Abhorrence, and even Amorphis’s first couple of releases are relevant too plus the likes of Demigod, Convulse, I’m sure you get the picture I’m portraying here. ‘Point Of No Turning Back’ follows as the band inserts blast beats to devastating effect supplied with tons of excellent lead breaks, a facet that makes this album that bit more unique above its competitors.

‘Hating God’ was released as a single at the start of the year and showcases why this band is so bloody good, with its old school acrimony nestling alongside the truly demolishing sound that band has gained in the studio, as the track is laced with tempo dynamics, switching around effortlessly but always thunderously heavy. ‘As They Are Put To Sleep’ is shorter, speedier and even more savage, offering virulence and violence in equal measures as ‘Curse Of The Lake Drag’ sees a change in aura. With an intro piece of sea noises and thunder, the cliché is obvious but the succeeding annihilation that follows is staggeringly effective as the light dusting of atmospherics just adds to the songs charisma.

A short interlude appears called ‘Gift’ which more or less acts like an intro to the blistering title track. Screeching lead work adorns the title track superbly, scraping and inflicting sonic abrasions amidst its more eclectic structuring that allows it to have a blackened feathering plus I really liked the chant of the title in the middle. That abrading and caustic persona continues on ‘Looking For Reality’ which I found to be a cover of Finnish act Ferox and try as I might to find the original I couldn’t (unless I want to pay ridiculous money for it) probably because it was a single released in 1989. The cover is excellent, slightly thrashier, probably like the original, but given a modern production as the opening acoustic caught me out somewhat. As it progresses you get the feeling it is an instrumental because the vocals don’t appear until after a couple of minutes and indeed after the initial acoustic piece the song speeds along with great lead work before it delves into Tramalizer deathliness.

Another bridging tune cuts off the last two songs which begins with ‘The Rostov Ripper, a song that is probably about Andrei Chikatilo the Russian serial killer who murdered over 50 women and children. As expected the song is repugnant like its lyrical inspiration, grisly riffing coexisting with monstrous vocals that possess a slight echo or delay adding to the twistedness, as the album concludes with ‘At The Night Of Feast’. Being slightly longer the song is packed with riffs and dynamics, as the vocal scream pierces its opening to unleash some Dismember like groove you can’t help but appreciate. There’s some shout vocals too, and if one thing about this album that makes you want to listen to it again and again it is the sheer amount of variety within and in the songs.

A formidable debut by Tramalizer that old school death metal fans will adore once they give it a listen, as I ordered the vinyl whilst listening to it.

(9/10 Martin Harris)

https://www.facebook.com/tramalizer

https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fumes-of-funeral-pyres