Written by Alex
- Decrepid
- Endless Sea Of Graves
- Death Metal
- London, England
- Xtreem Music
- July 7, 2020
- 9.5/10
I have had a massive hankering for some good old school death metal lately and Decrepid have heeded my call with this new album. With equal parts Incantation and 90’s influence and a spice all their own, Decrepid have put out one of the best death metal records I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this year. It’s grimy, cavernous, and dark, making for a potent old school blend that doesn’t feel forced or contrived. Also the album art is spectacular, which is always an added bonus.
Let’s start getting into the specifics here. The guitar tone is what immediately stood out to me upon first listen. I love a good filthy sounding guitar and this record has it all over. But when the solos are played, the sound is cleaned up in a really effective way. It makes you focus in on and appreciated how technically skilled this bands guitarists are. The solos are placed at exactly the right times so as to make them hit hard in a way that was obviously intentional. It goes to show what skilled songwriters these guys are and how well thought out the writing on this record was.
Don’t get me wrong, I love blast beats as much as the next guy but I also love music that doesn’t feel cramped and that’s exactly what Decrepid have achieved with this record. Due to the drummer’s excellent work, the music is able to be fast and pummeling when it needs to be but also dialed back in a way that opens the sonic field up. I think it’s this utilization of sonic space that makes this album so easy to listen to. This skill is also shown in the opening section of the album and in the last track with slowed down melodic sections before things pick back up again. The variation in tempo and aggression make this an album that I can listen to repeatedly without feeling worn out, which I like. It adds another layer of depth and dimension to the music in a way that’s very well executed.
Decrepid: Bandcamp / Spotify / Facebook
The vocals are a really exciting aspect of the album to me. They are varied in tone and pitch to keep things interesting but the way they were mixed is what I really liked. While listening, you get the sense that the vocals are far off in the distance somewhere, they’ve got a cavernous quality to them like I mentioned earlier. It’s a personal preference thing but I’m a massive fan of that vocal effect in death metal. This also adds to the feeling of openness that the album has and aids in everything flowing well and feeling uncramped. The rhythm section is nearly perfect too. There’s a strong underlying groove through the record that makes in a lot of fun to listen too. The only criticism I have is that I would have liked the bass tone to be a little more punchy and pronounced. With the exception of that though, I don’t have anything bad to say about this record, Decrepid hit the ball out of the park with this one. This record is an absolute must for any metal fan this year
9.5/10
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