This US act has been flying under the radar for over a decade now, which is a shame as their back catalogue is awash with technically adroit brutal death metal. With a change in vocalist comes this fourth full length some six years since their excellent ‘Abyssal Blood Sacrifices’ which I gave a listen alongside the new one for comparison purposes. Suffice to say the abrasive bludgeoning that Garoted subject you to is horrifying, as the album kicks off with ‘Infernal Death’s Majesty’ where the opening riff impales the listener with caustic primal savagery that harks back to the late 80s and early 90s death metal scenes. Added to that you get some blazing corrosive lead work that infects every tune and enhanced by the terrorizing vocals from the new shouter in residence.

In places this album reminded me of Krisiun due to the machine gunning obliteration of the blasting style but added to that the band has a Floridian styling, especially early Malevolent Creation and Deicide where the unhinged riffing possesses melody as on the excellent ‘Black Canticle Of Horror’. The dense battering affront is supremely hostile, similar to acts like Vital Remains as the lead break pierces the tunes slower pervading styling. At times chaotic but highly controlled ‘Rites Of Sinister Defilement’ hurls its riffs like grenades all the while the vocals tear strips from your sorry carcass as here I felt the vocal style had touches of the bellowing Benediction style of the 90s.

This album is insanely intense, there is rarely a moment of respite which pushes the impetus to utter breakneck nihilism as those Krisiun touches infect ‘Pestiferous’ massively where the blurring snare blast has a tin can tone similar to some albums in grindcore. That impetus continues on ‘Khaos Soul Pandemonium’ where the blast assault is tornadic and the technical expertise is distributed via the guitar work but also the exceptional bulldozing drumming. As the album progresses it seems to intensify with each passing minute as ‘Arcane Shadow Idolatry’ is entirely battering once the intro phase sample has concluded. The fade in works a treat and is blended to the sample before the monstrously heavy drums plus the abrasive riffing shreds you to an amorphous stump.

‘Unfathomable Manifestation’ has a very cool riff to start it before the ensuing blast smashes in as I couldn’t help but think about Slayer’s ‘Hell Awaits’ album when the lead breaks fracture the songs groove based pulverising that again has that malevolent Creation like stance. Ending this monstrously good album is the slightly longer ‘Harkening To The Age Of Blood & Plague’ and as you’d probably predict it has a gentler start with a hollow drum sequence before the slower riff emanates. Again the density is crushing and whilst not as fast initially the song has an asphyxiating aura coupled to a steady escalation in power. There are notable differences in this song compared to the rest of the album, a slower poise allows the song to have a protracted pummelling ethos right until the deluge of riff breaks and hyper blast that manifests about half way. That Slayer like lead work is also evident again as the songs unmitigated intensity shows absolutely no signs of waning right until the very end.

A phenomenal fourth album from Garoted, one that old school death metal fans should absolutely be buying and adding to their collections without hesitation. Stunning savagery!

(9/10 Martin Harris)

https://www.facebook.com/Garoted

https://lavadome.bandcamp.com/album/bewitchment-of-the-dark-ages