There is no denying that Vorum created a foul stench in their brief and vile career but the band have it appears crash and burned. The couple of times I saw them and of course their album Poisoned Void 2103 and EP Current Mouth 2015 impressed no end but for whatever reason they have combusted. Fear not though as they have been reborn like a rather foul flatulent stench and are now going by the name of Concrete Winds, a great name for a curry house in my obviously smelly mind. As to who is still in the group from the old days, well it would appear that info on that point is scarce but be assured they are just as rabid if not more so than before as far as we can tell from short and hectic debut offering Primitive Force. If Vorum were a Vindaloo enter with caution as Concrete Winds are a veritable Phal! There’s no naan to soak these 9 tracks out either, things are shat out in a tumultuous 25 minute onslaught. This is for the toughest of tough so let’s grab an industrial strength toilet roll and enter their blasphemous cubicle.
Straight in with no hanging around (pun intended) and Infant Gallow is a horrible track name. It batters away without mercy in a near bestial fashion with winding grinding guitars that tear away like a swarm of locusts. The vocals are a violent snarling mass and its over in a blistering couple of minutes before with the scantest of pauses the armoury continues straight into ‘Sulphuric Upheaval’ a track that delivers what it describes. This is one of those albums that by the time you have figured out what you are being battered by you are into the middle of it, no time to really concentrate on things at first, just hang on for dear life and hope you land on something soft as it twists and turns and sucks you up like a tornado into its vortex. There are strong elements of grind as it tears you apart as well as the obvious death metal which is most definitely on the bestial side giving the likes of Conqueror, Black Witchery and Deiphago a run for their money. There’s some brilliant scything motion from the guitars and the musicianship is spot on, what is unmitigated noise for many has a savage beauty and pure classy melodicism entrenched in its hellish delivery. Vocals bark, yap and chomp away like a zombie suddenly finding brains and feasting on entrails. The 2-3 minute tracks fly by, squealing and tearing away with intensity which at times is almost too much to take in. From the ugly beginnings I enjoyed from Vorum this is a step up and there’s no crying at their demise on hearing this and Concrete Winds are a band I feel that I simply must see live on the strength of this despite the fact that I am well aware it is going to be a short and sweaty set.
The title track has lycanthropic barks and slithering slimy riffs of death that are incredibly tight and nothing short of fearsome. Drums boom and echo and it’s a panic induced pace as it hurtles away like the hounds of hell are on its tail. ‘Dissident Mutilator’ bristles with blades and takes head off with a particularly sharp scythe. This is akin to being pursued by your worst slasher video nasty nightmare. There’s some memorable hooks though, barbed and deadly like falling into a pit full of razor-wire. The track titles such as Volcanic Turmoil cleverly give you a clue of exactly how things will sound but this is no slow oozing lava just an explosion and sudden obliteration melting down anyone caught in its blast instantly. By the time we get to the end with ‘Death Transmission’ there’s little you can do but lick your wounds and press play again; continue repeat, die, ugh!
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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