I’m not going to pretend this is going to be a great, detailed in-depth review of Vomitory’s history since the late 1990s and comparing this, the Swedes’ first release since their reformation in 2018, to the older stuff. Because for me their history is there as a top notch death metal band over eight albums. What I hope is important is; does this band still crush and batter with the skill they had?

Well they kick off with the title track and it’s just a lethally energetic, great hammering from the outset. It’s direct, full on death metal with that ridiculously catchy-but-so-far-from-melodeth sound. Nicely produced but not over-done and has that perfect chunky weight to the riffs. The vocals are fine indeed; angry, violent and gnarly. The lead break absolutely rips through and that rhythmic, fast pounding really hits the spot. Splitting you wide open from the bell… ‘Decrowned’ is at times almost chaotic in its speed and attack but that violent groove always drives through and sinks into your skull. It’s funny how something as heavy and death metal to its core can be called ‘classy’ but it is. Just without an ounce of the softness that the word implies.

‘Ode To The Meat Saw’ has just the most wonderful bulldozing bass. The tempo changes here move from chug to a fantastic gallop with barely a breath. There’s a weird and unwholesome sense of almost worship to the atmosphere here, and the melody has just that hint of early Nile amidst the complete and utter thunder that this track brings. It’s fantastic: Battering, blistering and unrelenting.

There is really no let-up in this album; ‘The Deepest Tomb’, ‘Piece By Stinking Piece’ (cracking title) and the charming but unsettling catchy ‘Raped, Strangled, Sodomized. Dead’ test your stamina in the best way. They just keep hitting you with punch after punch, pulling tempo changes and grim melody out of the violence to prop you up against the ropes before beating you down even harder. ‘Dead Man Stalking’ has a down-tuned drill of a sound and some nicely snarled vocals. ‘Disciples Of The Damned’ just moves like a locomotive with a chainsaw strapped to the front; ripping all before it. ‘Dead World’ is an oddly off kilter sound; guitar work making the direction chaotic and hard to grasp. Closer ‘Beg For Death’ begins with the sound of a plane and a slow, ominous riff but soon explodes in a firestorm. It a great end to the album and the rest after it fades is very welcome to my old bones.

Vomitory have proven without doubt not only do they still have the chops but the writing too. This is just a no quarter, no escape forty minutes of blistering death metal. It might be too relentless for some, or the constant speed may wear out others but for all that it is what it should be – pure death metal with the violent instinct to batter skulls.

Really hits the spot. Well done gents.

(7.5/10 Gizmo)

https://www.facebook.com/vomitoryband

https://vomitory.bandcamp.com/album/all-heads-are-gonna-roll