Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Bandcamp Picks - Temple of Baal, Vehemence, Abhorrent Decimation, Marasmus





Temple of Baal have been delivering some top notch albums for over a decade, under the radar for the most part. Mysterium is a master class in how to create the perfect black/death hybrid, expertly balancing discordance, melody, blast and restrained tempos. Another jewel in the crown of le metal noir. [$4.99 til the end of October]



Arizona's Vehemence were one of the first bands I ever interviewed, so I'm happy to hear they're back at it. Forward Without Motion picks up where their cult classic God Was Created left off, hammering their knack for melody home in 3/4 time and blowing away preconceptions of what it means to be an American death metal band. The only sore point is the production, which feels too much like a home recording and lets the bass drum run roughshod over the mix. Let those soaring melodies fly free, lads. [$10]




London's Abhorrent Decimation should be appealing to fans of modern death metal. Miasmic Mutation contains a good mix of all out speed, mid-paced groove and lots of catchy parts to get heads banging, all anchored by some assured performances. The Glen Benton-esque vocals make this longtime Deicide fan happy. A thoughtful melange death metal's past and present, as well as glimpses of its future. [£5]



It took all of 2 seconds for me to know I was going to love Kansas City's Marasmus. Conjuring Enormity is hyperblasting American death metal that hooks you in and doesn't let go, like the mighty Origin at their unrelenting best but with a few more progressive flourishes. The future of death metal is safe with bands like this pushing their physical and creative limits. [$7]