Review by Trevor Proctor.
The following review features two 7" EP releases from two of the undergrounds finest labels - Iron Bonehead Productions and Blood Harvest. It's very easy from time to time for 7" releases to slip the attention but these are two very strong EPs and you'll most definitely want to give them a listen...
Resuscitation Eviscerated Divinity 7” EP – Iron Bonehead Productions.
This exclusive 7” EP is due for release via the ever-prolific Iron Bonehead Productions at the end of November. Despite longevity of close to twenty years, releases from these Belgian blasphemers have been few and far between. Since formation in 1997 they brought us demos during 2001, 2004 and 2012 and a full length album, “There Will be Darkness,” in 2010. Eviscerated Divinity will be their first release since 2012 and no doubt anticipation is high due to this minimal output. One could argue their infrequent and sparse productivity is compensated for by the high standard of their music with all releases to date being met with critical acclaim from both fans and media alike. Resuscitation’s music is blasphemous Death Metal with some black metal elements thrown in for good measure, succinctly summarized as follows in the press release “Resuscitation hammer forth with pulsing, pounding, and strangely coiling Metal of Death, but bury the wreckage in mountains of black metalled ash.”
The EP features two tracks, “Eviscerated Divinity” and “Putrescent Summoning” with duration of just over ten minutes between them. Underground, harsh metal of death is most definitely the order of the day as, once they dispense with a brief intro, Resuscitation kick things off at a fairly heavy and hectic pace. Chaotic, proficient solos pepper the music with Bob Ceyssens’ authoritative, demonic guttural vocal playing a major part in Resuscitation’s raw death metal sound. The second track starts off at a fairly slow pace with demonic screams and slow, churning guitar before accelerating with fierce drumming dictating the rabid, demonic pace for the rest of the track. Admittedly, Resuscitation may not set the world afire with originality but what you do have are two very solid, listen-worthy death metal tracks. Only time will tell if this EP is going to be a parting gift from Resuscitation before they return to the depths they came from or if it’s a precursor for more music to be released. Obviously this is a question only the band themselves can answer, but I'm hoping to hear more from them in the future. If you’re after something polished or shiny you’ve came to the wrong place but if crushing and convincing underground death metal delivered with conviction and passion are what you’re after you’ll not be left begging. 8/10.
Resuscitation - Eviscerated Divinity 7" EP November 2015.
Tracklist:
01 – Eviscerated Divinity.
02 - Putrescent Summoning.
Denial (Mexico) - 11°22?.?4'N 142°35?.?5'E 7" EP - Blood Harvest.
Swedish label Blood Harvest has brought us a fine roster this year with Denial’s 7” EP being the ninth from them during a year when they’ve delivered the goods very consistently from the likes of Maleficence, Ascended Dead and Void Ceremony. These three releases were previously reviewed HERE at The Lair of Filth. It’s been eight years have since Denial’s Blood Harvest debut release, the Immense Carnage Vortex EP, and it’s been six years since their last output which was their full length album “Catacombs of the Grotesque” in 2009. The album was released on two CD formats, standard and digipak ltd. edition, in March by Asphyxiate Recordings before getting a vinyl release via Blood Harvest in December 2009.
Formed in 2006 Mexico’s Denial play Death Metal with lyrics centric to Lovecraftian themes. As with Resuscitation their output has been minimal, with the previous mentioned releases being the sum of their output to date. Denial’s music is a lumbering, gnarly beast that sounds both fresh and uncompromising – the reason it sounds so fresh being they have been bringing us their ugly, sepulchral death metal years before the copious rejuvenation this style of death metal has enjoyed of late. Denial tends to keep the tempo fairly slow to mid-paced and these two tracks are no exception. “The Involution of Kingly Spirits” is the first track and starts with a slow, lurching pace laced with heavy as fuck riffs – Heurta’s vocal is on top form, like a man possessed his contribution to their music and overall sound is essential. Cavernous is a term thrown around too often these days to describe death metal but this music fully deserves that description. The guitar tone is fantastic, perfectly matched to the music and the atmosphere it creates - the production levels also match the music with an overall murky sound though all elements can be heard to play their part, including some sterling drumming. This 7” EP provides the listener with a presentation of the some of the strongest death metal you’re likely to hear. Side B features a cover of Dream Death’s “The Elder Race” which drops the pace further, teetering on the brink of and toying with doom, it’s driven by thick bass that gives proceedings a degree of saunter before plunging the listener back into a realm of first-rate death metal. This is a little beauty of an EP that could easily pass you by, don’t let it, the music is simply too good to miss. Absolute quality from start to finish. 10/10.
Denial (Mexico) - 11°22?.?4'N 142°35?.?5'E 7" EP.
Tracklist:
01 – The Involution of Kings.
02 – The Elder Race.
Resuscitation's Eviscerated Divinity 7” EP will be available from Iron Bonehead Productions at the end of November and Denial's 11°22?.?4'N 142°35?.?5'E 7" EP is currently available from Blood Harvest.
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