ALBUM REVIEW: Zombiefication, "Below The Grief"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/07/2018

Label: Doomentia Records

The very best death metal bands sound disparate from one another and Zombiefication manage to inject a whole lot of blackened sounding passages into their aural assault.  For quality and unique death metal, look no further that Zombiefication

“Below The Grief” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Blood Falls

2). Deliverance from the Astral Sea

3). Echoes of Light

4). Death to its Son

5). Heavy is the Crown

6). Hunger Undying

7). Sky Burial

The Review:

Four years after “Procession Through Infestation” and Five years after the absolute masterpiece of “At The Caves Of Eternal”, Mexico's finest death metal export return with seven tracks of gnarly blackened death metal. Once again, the focus is not on pro-tooled perfection, but is more towards a dark atmosphere and real sounding drums.

The sound is cavernous and the band has retained their unique and chaotic sound. I noted last time around that Zombiefication don't really sound like any other death metal band out there and this is a huge strength. The very best death metal bands sound disparate from one another (you'd never mistake Obituary for Deicide) and Zombiefication manage to inject a whole lot of blackened sounding passages into their aural assault.

Opener “Blood Falls” is fast and furious, “Deliverance From The Astral Sea” is tempered by slower riffing and is hugely listenable with its fast passages and even a creepy clean section. Huge drums open up “Echoes of Light” and the band deliver a genuinely sinister atmosphere along with a grinding chug. The eight and a half minute epic “From Death To Its Son” is the album's centrepiece and essentially it combines all the good aspects of the band and throws them into one track- the atmosphere, riffing, sound, anguished vocals and overall effect are great.

From thereon, the album throws another three tracks at the listener- varied in their approach but consistent in their dark atmospherics. “Heavy Is the Crown” is dark and features an experimental production with serious use of dynamics. “Hunger Undying” is similarly tar-like in vibe and execution with thick blast sections. The album finishes with “Sky Burial” which is as appropriate a way as any to finish this deliciously dark and deep record.

For quality and unique death metal, look no further. Viva Zombiefication!

“Below The Grief” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Revel In Flesh/Zombiefication - “Eyeless Ghoulish Horror” Split 7inch (Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type:  EP

Date Released: 15/11/2015

Label: Doomentia Records

You get three tracks that storm into your ears from two quality bands. This EP is a must for all serious death heads and works as an interesting curio or an introduction to either band. Job done.

“Eyeless Ghoulish Horror” 7inch/DD track listing:

1). Revel in Flesh - Nightrealm Ghouls: The Dead Will Walk the Earth

2). Zombiefication  - Eternity's Oblivion

3). Zombiefication - The Eyless Horde

The Review:

Next up for our enjoyment is this lovely/horrific little split EP from Germany's Revel In Flesh and Mexico's Zombiefication. Revel In Flesh are up first with the muscular and effective “The Dead Will Walk The Earth”. Euro death metal for sure, with elements of their cousins from Scandinavia in the sound. The tempos are changed around, the riffs run the length of the fretboard. The vocals are low and very powerful and the band simply storms its way through the track with bad intentions. I had not heard these Deutsche heroes before, but I will be checking out the back catalogue for sure. It is extensive with three full lengths and other releases in only three years. A perfect introduction for these Teutonic titans of death.

Zombiefication, meanwhile, do what they do best. “The Eyeless Horde” positively rips forth from the opening exhortation. It has the sound of a demo- rough and ready with plenty of spite. The last two albums from these guys have absolutely slayed me- it's interesting to hear a more necro version of the band on this split. If sonically the sound is of the grave, the band is very much on form and bring a great mix of death metal with dynamics as well as fury. “Eternity's Oblivion” is a punk infused blast of death metal that is as energetic as it is dark. Zombiefication are one of the best death metal bands around at the minute, I would say, as their sound is unusual and they have an atmospheric sound that other death metal bands do not.

You get three tracks that storm into your ears from two quality bands. This EP is a must for all serious death heads and works as an interesting curio or an introduction to either band. Job done.

“Eyeless Ghoulish Horror” is available here

FFO: Entombed, Entrails, Fleshcrawl, Dismember

Band info:

Revel In Flesh | official | facebook |   

Zombiefication | facebook | twitter | bandcamp 

Majestic Downfall - '...When Dead' (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 06/07/2015

Label: Pulverised Records

“The guitar riffs and melodies throughout the record are excellent. There are clean sections here and there throughout the album and the band makes good use of dynamics. The sound is suitably expansive and the overall effect is of a band striving to produce the most epic and expansive record that they can, while maintaining a common thread throughout.

‘...When Dead’ CD//DD track listing:

1). …When Dead

2). Escape My Thought

3). The Brick, the Concrete

4). Doors

5). The Rain of the Dead

Majestic Downfall is:

Alfonso Sanchez | drums

Jacobo Cordova | vocal, guitars, bass, keyboards, drums

The Review:

Upon reading that Jacob Cordova of Zombiefication was involved in this, I had to hear it. I am glad I did. It is dark, doomy, deathly in places and thoroughly downbeat. The doom laden intro is the shortest thing on here- by many, many minutes- as what follows is a winding path through the pathways of doom/death. “Escape My Thought” is a master-class in melancholy. Elegaic guitar lines mix with some much faster sections as the ghost of early Paradise Lost is conjured up.  At 15 minutes plus, there is a lot to take in- dynamics shift the sound, riffs come in and out and over it all, Cordova's very meaty growl pins the track together. This is indeed majestic stuff- it shifts through the gears effortlessly and has a certain atmosphere to it- cold, damp and dark- that I never thought would have come out of Mexico.

“The Brick, The Concrete” clocking in at over 11 minutes (second shortest song!) is a down tempo trudge through an urban dystopia of greyness. There are time shifts to ring the changes and that sense of melody in some of the guitar passages that lightens the sound to make the track ebb and flow with surprising grace (a hard trick to pull off when writing and playing doom). The track retains a kind of marching feel throughout- almost perpetual forward motion- which I really like. It has a kind of kinetic energy that is sometimes missing from the genre (and blast sections of course).

“Doors” starts very weightily indeed- with rolling blasts coming at you while the guitar adds more melody than you expect. The opening verse section has a rather ghostly effect that then evaporates (it returns later, though) into guttural noise before the doom returns. The track is arguably the darkest on the record (which is saying something).  “The Rain of The Dead” is a closing eleven and a half minutes of downcast misery. The guitar riffs and melodies throughout the record are excellent and they continue that on this one. There are clean sections here and there throughout the album and the band makes good use of dynamics. The sound is suitably expansive and the overall effect is of a band striving to produce the most epic and expansive record that they can, while maintaining a common thread throughout. Much of the album verges on funeral doom, but there should be enough deathly elements (check out the riff just after the five minute mark in the closing track) and even classic rock to keep a variety of listeners interested.

I find it remarkable that Cordova can produce the level of quality on display here so soon after the last Zombiefication album; which in itself was superb. Metal needs more people like him- creative, ambitious and talented. More power to him and to this record. Absolutely recommended.

‘…When Dead’ is available here

Band info: Facebook



Zombiefication - Procession Through Infestation (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 14/7/2014

Label: Doomentia Records

‘Procession Through Infestation’ CD/DD/LP track listing:

1). Procession 05:31

2). The Never Ending Quest 04:45

3). Possession 06:00

4). Crossing the Rite 05:26

5). Infestation 07:02

6). The Divine Door 06:06

7). Oppression 04:14

8). The Blackest Light 05:23

The Band:

Mr. Jacko | Bass, Guitars

Mr. Hitchcock | Vocals

Review:

Just when I really needed a quality death metal album... Zombiefication return! I loved “At The Caves of Eternal” a couple of years ago and couldn't wait for this, the Mexicans' latest effort. The wait was worth it... prepare for this album to be praised.

‘Procession’ rips out with riffs aplenty (nothing like the Chilean doom band of the same name!) and a raw production dripping with reverb. A quirky drum sound completes things for me- no sound replacements here- the production has character! Time changes, medium paced blasts and actual memorable riffs complete what is a very strong opener indeed. 

‘The Never Ending Quest’ has a drum fill to open and then comes on like Obituary jamming with Entombed in 1990. Zombiefication are that rarest of beasts in the death metal world: they don't sound like anyone else. They have instead carved a niche that sees them draw on influences from all over death metal's elite, but managing not to resemble anyone. There is also a healthy doom element to proceedings as things slow down. The dynamic is a welcome one. There are neck snapping passages here too-witness the three minute mark and be converted.

‘Possession’ starts fast and keeps things interesting with varied drumming rhythms, distorted bass and excellent melody guitar work acting as a counter point to the rumbling filth. The track is kept interesting by an unusual solo, great ride work and a very unpleasant vibe throughout.

‘Crossing The Rite’ displays the doomier side of the band- crawling riffs aplenty- but things are still on the death side of doom. Some discordant guitar work gives way to a snippet of sinister clean picking and then the maelstrom of rolling dread resumes. Naturally, the pace picks up but the band sound anything but generic. Once again, this is unusual stuff with an absolutely superb riff framing the track.

‘Infestation’ brings a lot of death metal into play in its seven minutes. The speed is never hyper fast- yes, there are fast passages, but this is not Hate Eternal or any other band overly fond of blast beats. There are melancholy guitar lines too, atmosphere is created and then rudely shattered with dramatic riffs and rolling bass drums. In short, the track keeps you guessing and allows a crawling sense of dread to predominate within the reverbed catacombs of its heart. Cool drum outro here too (great performance throughout the album). 

‘The Divine Door’ offers a similarly contrasting track- slow and sinister, fast and menacing. The track runs over the six minute mark, but there is a lot of quality in those minutes so the song does not drag. Instead, the band is at arguably its most progressive with lots of variation for all instruments and a vibe that would not be out of place on, by turns, a black metal record, a noise/avant garde LP and a straight up death metal album from any time in the genre's history. That the band can branch out a little and retain the essential elements of the genre is to their credit. ‘Oppression’ is the shortest track on the record at a little over four minutes but the riffs still come thick and (not always) fast. Again, it's memorable- catchy even- and shows the band's song writing ability.

‘The Blackest Light’ is fast and furious to start before giving way to a killer triplet-time-feel-type riff before going airborne again. The track provides a very strong statement with which to finish the album, complete with lead break towards the back end. In summary, this is one of the strongest and certainly one of the most unusual death metal albums of the year so far (and likely to remain that way!). The whole album is strong with some cracking riffs and performances. Unique, dark and crawling with horror, this is superb stuff. Metal of the highest quality.

Words by: Richard Maw

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/zombiefication666?v=wall

http://www.zombiefication.com/

http://zombiefication.bandcamp.com/