Review Summary: The heaviest thing you've ever heard.
“The Stench of Decay” is the kind of track you play for a friend you want to scare off from death metal. At some point though you realise the song you’re playing is phenomenal, and then you happen upon the next track; sooner or later the album is over. What. The. f
uck. Just. Happened? A realization kicks in. Old School Death Metal is pretty much what they claim. Worth it. In the beginning stages bands weren’t as limited, so of course black metal is incorporated here, and boy does it make a difference. This album begins and ends with its creativity, but it thrives off of its chances. There are blast beats, was anyone questioning?, but there are moments more so when the drums command the track. Here’s how they evolve.
More so than their contemporaries, Pessimist demand their riffs be payed attention to. “Let the Demons Rest” and the title track are beyond what is suggested - their heavier affairs are worth more than the names and art they display. Most of the album is a heavy hitting affair. Most users who are used to Death are in for a f
ucking treat. Seriously. It’s heavy. And not symbolically.
Cult of the Initiated relishes on a riff that turns darker by the note. It’s what drives the album. The band rarely settle and when they do they outperform most of their comrades.
