Unlike a lot of my colleagues, I've never been the world's biggest thrash fan, there are a few select bands I like but I've always been quite sceptical of the whole scene. I much prefer so good honest death metal, it's all that trash intensity and groove buy with everything turned up to 11. Bands such as Possessed, Death and Massacre are the best way of explaining what I mean as they were a nastier and more brutal contemporary of some of the major US thrash bands. Cadaver carry this spirit with them, no surprise then that Massacre's Kam Lee and Possessed's Jeff Becerra both make guest appearances on this latest record from Norwegian/Belgian death metal survivors Cadaver. Edder & Bile is the second release on Nuclear Blast from the band after their Jeff Walker produced D.G.A.F EP was released earlier this year and proved that there was life in the old dog year despite numerous periods of inactivity throughout the bands potted history.
If I wanted to make life simple for myself I could have reviewed this album like so: Manifesto by Loudblast is a manifesto of loud blasts. But while accurate it wouldn't be the most journalistic approach. It is however the best way to describe this 8th album from the French death metal band furious blasts of technically precise death metal delivered across 10 songs that pulverise their point across. It's their first album since 2014 but Loudblast fans are used to waits between records due to the bands slightly turbulent nature. Despite the wait they have lost none of their face melting aggression or foreboding atmospheres that build into the battery.
Manifesto speaks in volumes about the bands 35 years in the music industry doing exactly what they like, playing extreme metal at ear piercing volume, frantically shifting tempo and tone as the they shift into explosive Slayer-like guitar solos punctuated by heavy grooves and guttural vocals all created to make this record possibly their most vicious and technical in a long time. Straight to the point death metal is rounded out by some industrial-like grooves on The Promethean Fire. Joining founder guitarist/vocalist Stéphane Buriez and drummer Hervé Coquerel are new members Jerome Point-Canovas on guitar (ex No Return, E-Force) and Frédéric Leclercq on bass (Kreator/Sinsaenum ex Dragonforce).
Giving the band some new blood has resulted in Manifesto driving home why Loudblast are so revered with songs such as Solace In Hell proving this as it brings together their current death metal sound with earlier thrash influences too as the final Infamy Be To You is a huge doom riff. Loudblast still stand head and shoulders above the rest of the French death scene and look like they will be reigning for another 30 odd years. 8/10
Corrupt Moral Altar: Patiently Waiting For Wonderful Things (APF Records)
Hoping to dispel memories of Liverpool's 'other' band Corrupt Moral Altar are not here to please please you, quite the opposite as it happens. Their style of extreme metal is all about inflicting pain, from what I can hear, a schizophrenic mix of grindcore, death metal, sludge and hardcore punk, it's no wonder the record was unleashed upon the unsuspecting public through APF Records the current kings of filthy extreme metal. As Marge Simpson once said about cannons "they're designed to hurt" and from the moment you play the album, Cathedral Of Porn reminds you that Corrupt Moral Altar, like cannons are also designed to hurt.
It's full of abrasive riffing, wild harsh vocals that move between roars, growls and hardcore screams as the music swings wildly on tracks like Maximum Bastardry and Spirit Breaker where the shifts are rapid and caustic making your head spin. Extreme in the truest sense melody creeps in now and again on this new EP but mostly these five songs batter you into submission without remorse. According to vocalist (shouter would be more accurate) Chris Reese the songs here "reflect the absurd surreal landscape we are experiencing." Surreal and absurd about covers it, like Monty Python collaborating with Napalm Death, Corrupt Moral Altar, like all of us they are Patiently Waiting For Wonderful Things except they are doing it very loudly! 7/10
Revolting: The Shadow At The World's End (Transcending Obscurity Records)
Fans of Transcending Obscurity Records will have seen releases featuring vocalist/guitarist Rogga Johansson, most of them are full force death metal battery with melodic flourishes. Revolting is his longest running and most active act having toured all around the world, The Shadow At The World's End is a well honed slice of Swedish Melo-death, replete with galloping concrete rhythm sections, thrashy HM-2 riffs, growled vocals and some more melodic flourishes that sit in opposition to the face ripping riffs. Pacier tracks such as Dragged Back To The Cellar and To The Bitter Bleeding End are put against the grinding 1888 and the thrashier Sorrow As Companion. As with a lot of melo-death much of this record does blur into one, the last three tracks are especially guilty of this. Still there's little here to really dislike and if razor sharp Swede-death is your thing you'll love it. 6/10