Having formed back in 1998 it could be said that Brodequin are one of the true pioneers of Brutal Death Metal, if only their debut Instruments Of Torture had come out sooner than 2000. I think it would be a safe bet to say that they would be a much bigger band than they are. Their medieval themed Brutal Death Metal however remains as unique today as it ever has, and without a single slip in their discography a fourth full length is greatly appreciated. That fourth record comes through Season Of Mist and is titled Harbinger Of Woe. Let’s see how these masters of their craft fair with their first full length since 2004.
Kicking off the Brutal Death assault is Diabolical Edict. Harnessing some insanely strong riffs, a cheeky sample and general Brodequin brilliance. The vocals remain as guttural as ever as the Thrash based riffs create a perfect setting for total destruction. As if it weren’t already highlighted enough in the first track, Fall Of The Leaf shows us further drumming prowess, adding to this fray of sheer barbarity, flickers of Slam also appear for a truly brilliant BDM amalgamation. Theresiana is another absolute gem, bringing even bigger Slam energy and a great usage of samples, this one truly has that medieval flare that I think of when listening to Brodequin, maybe the best track on the record. Of Pillars And Trees pulls yet more riffs out of the bag, and with more sampling is an utter joy to behold, dare I even call this Melodic Brutal Death Metal at points? Honestly each track I’m expecting the album to slip up, or become boring but it just doesn’t happen. Tenaillement rolls in with yet more outstanding riffs, pinch harmonics and Slam laden portions.
It’s pretty safe to say that the star of the show throughout this album is the guitar. In a genre so often misaligned with a lack of technicality or just being ‘chug chug’ music it’s refreshing to have an easy go to example to show the doubters of Brutal Death. I think therein lies the point, go watch any Brutal Death or Slam live and you’ll see it’s so much more than simple riffs, I’m not saying there isn’t that kind of Slam out there but I’d argue the majority is highly talented. Anyway, enough of my rambling, Maleficium is predictably another utter banger, and is starting to make me question whether this might be one of the best Brutal Death albums I’ve heard in quite some time. At this point in the review it’s clearly remiss to keep repeating myself, good riffs, good vocals, good drumming, you get the point. My biggest piece of advice is simple, just go and listen to the damn album.
There we have it, wow, that is all I can really say. If you’re new to BDM then I’d recommend Brodequin regardless but this new album, truly superb. It also kind of flirts with other genres of Death Metal from the more standard modern OSDM sound to occasional flourishes of minor Tech. Look at this album like a tree bulb, no wait that’s not brutal enough. Think of this album like a victim being hung, drawn and quartered, each bodily piece representing an offshoot of Death Metal, there we go much better. You get the point, for newcomers this is a perfect stepping stone or gateway from the likes of Cannibal Corpse and for seasoned Slammers it offers up a totally unique experience.
(10/10 George Caley)
26/03/2024 at 3:30 pm
Great review! This album’s production is stellar! The lyrics are very well written and discusses actual historical events. The chuggy riffs and guitar-work is put together very well! Wonderful album!