What does one get invited to at a Carnal Tomb? Well an Orgy Of The Dead naturally. However, it is unlikely this German quartet are going to turn up sporting favourite angora sweaters to gyrate with The Wolfman, zombies and skeletons, theirs is more a case of worshipping old-school putrid death metal and take inspiration from medieval funeral rites. Nothing camp about their full length album here in the slightest; well that’s if you can get past the names of the players Cryptic Tormentor, Vomitchrist, Impaler and Goat Eviscarator that is!

After a suitably macabre intro, guaranteed to chill the bones, we venture into the dreadful ‘Putridarium’ which is similar to an Ossuary and found commonly in Southern Italy. Lesson over, we are also informed that this track also takes props from Amando de Ossorio’s Tombs Of The Blind Dead, so expect plenty of bone-rattling going on in the catacombs here. It’s a mid-paced malevolent stalker and the first couple of things noticeable to the initiated worshipers are the low gruff vocal delivery and thick twanging bass tones on the album. Add to these some neat slimy yet melodic guitar weaving and you will find yourself in a familiar and fetid place and trying to desperately escape from the next songs ‘Cataclysmic Maze.’ Speaking of which there’s actually a bit of a proggy twist as that labyrinth is contemplated and one notices that this band are not ones to pummel the listener senseless but terrify with malingering stealth. Still there’s plenty of injections of neck cracking pace here and the drummer puts on an impressive display with skull battering salvos and rim-shot rattling runs. Brutality is ramped up on ‘Defiled Flesh’ but the gnarly stomp is effectively broken up with an atmospheric guitar melody so it’s far from one-dimensional evisceration going on in the deep and dark crypt.

As we continue ‘Draped In Disgust’ has a fair bit of old Entombed about it within the melody lines and this has a widespread appeal that should go down with fans across the genre taking in everything from Autopsy to Cannibal Corpse along the way. Although personally I’m a bit late to this ghoulish party having not traipsed down Carnal Tomb’s catacombs of terror before it’s easy to get into this album and get immersed into its nine meaty morsels. There’s lashings of groove and a variation from track to track to keep the listener interested along with a feeling that you are wallowing through grime and filth along the way. Track titles are textbook lessons in depravity and there is an evident Lovecraftian bent on the likes of ‘Morgue Usurper’ which is a worthy tribute to maniac mortician Herbert West himself. The neat synth intro and ominous booms and crashes at the beginning of this one (apparently provided by Leonhard Link of Putrescine and Speedwhoe set up the song for a right grizzly rampage and a half too as it proceeds to gallop out the traps. Just under 40-minutes of maggoty goodness here with plenty to get your teeth into, ‘Embalmed In Decay’ is guaranteed to get your formaldehyde chugging party swinging.

(7.5/10 Pete Woods)

https://www.facebook.com/CarnalTombDeathMetal

https://testimonyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/embalmed-in-decay