ALBUM REVIEW: Decrepit Birth - "Axis Mundi"

By Theron Moore

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 21/07/2017

Label:  Agonia Records |

Nuclear Blast Records

“Axis Mundi” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Vortex of Infinity…Axis Mundi
2.Spirit Guide
3.The Sacred Geometry
4.Hieroglyphic
5.Transcendental Paradox
6.Mirror of Humanity
7.Ascendant
8.Epigenetic Triplicity
9.Embryogenesis
10.Orion
11.Desprate Cry
12. Infecting the Crypts

The Review:

Decrepit Birth has become a force to be reckoned with in 2017 amidst a myriad of killer death metal releases so far.  And “Axis Mundi” might just be my favorite record of the band’s career to date.  At the same time it retains every aspect of what you’d expect from a death metal release, especially one from the mighty Decrepit Birth, the production standards, the tightness of the music and the precision of how the songs are played / executed – just outstanding.  I think what we’re seeing with Decrepit and “Axis Mundi,” is the future of what this genre will look like a decade from now. 

As much as I enjoy the freestyle, almost jazz like elements of the death metal and grindcore genre, there’s a lot to be said for technical precision as well.  And this record is a fitting example of this, and dare I say, a high level of expectation for other bands to strive for.  It’s a shame that a band such as Cannibal Corpse grabs the majority of the spotlight when clearly groups such as Decrepit Birth, Haemorrhage, and Pathology are poised and ready to accept the torch and carry on.  “Axis Mundi” is that torch to light the pathway into the future. 

The songs are brutal yet accessible and catchy as hell.  Blast beats for the sake of blast beats?  No sir, not on this record.  You’ll find a lot of aggression and a ton of brutality because the songs on “Axis Mundi” demand blood, and lots of it and Decrepit Birth are more than happy to provide that service.     

About the songs, though.  You’re not going to find the standard death metal fare regarding corpses and coffins and zombies.  Instead, the Decrepit boys smack you in the head with what I’d refer to as, part existential, and part sci-fi / fantasy conceptual songs, if that makes sense.  Here’s a quick snippet of “Sacred Geometry:”

The journey of my heart guides me..

From the dream-time eclipse of the light

Finding my way..

I follow the path of light

Into this world unknown

Within my mind

Into the universal pattern

Beyond the expanse of imagination

The pattern takes my soul

To an unknown destination

Bodiless I drift through times

Ancient sea of memories

Deep, right?  That seems to be a running theme through this record, even the more fantastical songs, if you will, have a deeper sense of being as well as meaning giving this record a certain depth that just adds to its inherent heaviness.  As you can tell, there’s a lot going on musically with this release. 

As fans we’re lucky to get this record because the band has found it’s zone, they’re firing on all cylinders and then some.  “Axis Mundi” is a well thought out record, well played, and genuine to the tee. I urge you to get this record and play it.  If you’re a fan it’ll grow on you and find a home in whatever playlist you have at the moment.  If you’re not familiar with Decrepit Birth, this is the record you need to get to know the band.  “Axis Mundi.” Another killer death metal release for 2017.

“Axis Mundi” is available here

Band info: facebook

Six Feet Under - 'Crypt of the Devil' (Album Review)

By: Chris Markwell

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 05/05/2015

Label: Metal Blade Records

‘This is as pure a strain of death metal as you are ever likely to find: crushing, sawing guitar riots?  Check.  Throat-expanding guttural vocals?  Check.  Lurid, obscene song titles, including ‘Broken Bottle Rape’ and ‘Compulsion to Brutalize’?  Check mate.  If it’s classic death metal grooves you’re after, look no further.’

‘Crypt of the Devil’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Gruesome
2. Open Coffin Orgy
3. Broken Bottle Rape
4. Break The Cross In Half
5. Lost Remains
6. Slit Wrists
7. Stab
8. The Night Bleeds
9. Compulsion To Brutalize
10. Eternal in Darkness

Six Feet Under is:

Studio Band:
Chris Barnes | Vocals
Phil Hall |  Bass and Guitars
Josh "Hallhammer" Hall | Drums
Brandon Ellis | Lead Guitar

Live Band:
Chris Barnes | Vocals
Steve Swanson | Guitar
Jeff Hughell | Bass
Marco Pitruzella | Drums

The Review:

Sometimes, death metal just comes ripping up from the ground to grab you by the feet.  Six Feet Under just did that to me.  My poor Converse never saw it coming: just a rumble underground, then… darkness.  And beautiful, claustrophobic death metal enveloped me like a welcoming coffin.  Greet ‘Crypt of the Devil’, the latest offering from the Floridian four-piece, with a smile and a view to never see sunlight again.  Let me tell you all about it as I hammer the nails in…

May the 5^th of this year saw this fine piece of death metal hardware tearing up the airwaves like a deranged sous-chef.  10 tracks of the finest Sunshine State death metal, freshly-squeezed and ripe for the listening.  Take as needed for pain, frustration, heart problems… hell, just take the damn album already! 

This is as pure a strain of death metal as you are ever likely to find: crushing, sawing guitar riots?  Check.  Throat-expanding guttural vocals?  Check.  Lurid, obscene song titles, including ‘Broken Bottle Rape’ and ‘Compulsion to Brutalize’?  Check mate.  If it’s classic death metal grooves you’re after, look no further.  After all, if you think Chris Barnes and co. aren’t going to bring the very best in brutal music, there’s no need to check yourself.  You’ve already wrecked yourself. 

Let’s talk music.  Yes, I’ve just told you it ticks all the death metal boxes, but I haven’t told you how well it does so: ‘Crypt of the Devil’ is just… mind-blowing.  Following on from 2013’s ‘Unborn’ it sticks to that diabolical vein of music like a jagged needle in your arm.  Barnes himself has stated that he wrote these songs from the perspective of a serial killer, and he has gotten into that mindset with dark gusto.  Just have a listen to ‘Stab’ and feel that psychotic desire rush headlong at you.  Try listening to ‘Eternal in Darkness’ and not look over your shoulder in fear of the shadows behind you.  I dare you. 

‘Crypt of the Devil’ marks the inclusion of Phil ‘Landphil’ Hall (Cannabis Corpse) to the songwriting and creation process, so, personally speaking, this feels like a mini-evolution of Six Feet Under to me.  This album is dark, sadistic, and walks with a terrifying confidence amongst your music collection.  Get it while you can… but keep it away from any sharp objects.  Just in case. 

‘Crypt of the Devil’ is available here

Band info: Facebook | Twitter

Cannabis Corpse/Ghoul - Splatterhash Split 12" (Review)

Album Type: Split 12”

Date Released: 7/1/2014

Label: Tankcrimes

‘Splatterhash’ Split CD/DD/12” track Listing:

1. The Inhalation Plague (CANNABIS CORPSE) (02:42)
2. Shatter Their Bongs (CANNABIS CORPSE) (03:07)
3. Inner Sanctum (GHOUL) (05:06)
4. Spill Your Guts (GHOUL) (01:43)

Bio:

Featuring four tracks of rabid, brutalic insanity, the Splatterhash 12” will be unleashed via Tankcrimes January 7, 2014 on CD and digital download. For their portion of the split, GHOUL returned to Earhammer Studios in Oakland, California where they recorded both Transmission Zero and Splatterthrash. CANNABIS CORPSE recorded at bassist/vocalist Land Phil’s own Blaze of Torment Studios in Richmond, Virginia. The whole rollicking shebang was mastered by Dan Randall at Mammoth Sound and Santa Cruz, California and features cover art by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust). The release marks the first CANNABIS CORPSE material to feature Land Phil on vocals and Brent Purgason (Pustulus Maximus of Gwar) on lead guitar.

CANNABIS CORPSE, who recently joined the Season Of Mist roster, is amarijuana-themed death metal assault from Richmond, Virginia. Featuring members of Municipal Waste and Gwar, the red-eyed riffmanglers inCANNABIS CORPSE pride themselves in their exceptional knowledge of good green, face raping riffs and death metal parodies. Future live ceremonials from both

bands to be announced in the months to come.

The masked legion known as GHOUL – Cremator, Fermentor, Digestor, and Dissector – are mutants from Creepsylvania specializing in the execution of bone-snapping splatterthrash, grave robbing, flesh devourment and a variety of gory night time rituals. The band will bring their audio indecency to the stage Halloween night opening for the mighty Danzig in San Francisco. Additionally, GHOUL will co-headline the first annual Black Sky gala founded by Skinless’ Sherwood Webber. Denver Black Sky will be held on December 14th, 2013 and features a absurdly sick lineup of: Dying Fetus, Exhumed, Speedwolf, Power Trip, Mammoth Grinder, Call Of The Void, Reproacher, Weekend Nachos, Iron Reagan, Axeslasher, Primitive Man, Vimana, Of Feather And Bone, Native Daughters, Black Sleep Of Kali, Dead Temple and Flight Of Sleipnir.

Review:

At 12 minutes and 37 seconds, hand-delivered by a label in Oakland featuring bands from Richmond, Va. and deep within the bowels of Creepsylvania, ‘Splatterhash’ is a brutal, 4 song EP ready to assault any auditory system. Both bands destroy their tracks, doing what they do best, crushing metal filled with over-the-top gore & chaos.

Cannabis Corpse began when Phillip “Landphil” Hall and his brother Josh (aka, “HallHammer”) coined the term and thought it would be a great idea for a band. Weed themed death metal. I mean, right?!?  But here’s the twist, each of their songs’ characters always meet some horrible end from smoking weed, usually in a horrifically gory manner. Throughout the years, this band of deathly stoners has only released two albums and (now) three EPs, having been through several line-up changes and eventually settling as a three piece with Brent Pergason (also in Gwar) on guitar.

Their first track on the EP is ‘Inhalation Plague’, a gnarled tale about a green vapor of THC and bathsalts spreading over east L.A. Of course the protagonist must get high off the vapor, because why not? As the bathsalts begin to take over, he quickly loses his mind and breaks into the neighbor’s house to massacre the family. Why? Because METAL! ‘Shatter Their Bongs’ is the second song, about a mental patient forced to smoke weed for science until “he’s addicted to hi-grade potent weed eternally.”

And then there’s Ghoul, the mysterious madmen of Creepsylvania. A strange place with creepy trees and a sordid past, you can read all about Creepsylvania in the 11 paragraph history on Ghoul’s website. Pretty interesting stuff, Attila the Hun even briefly owned it until he “accidentally” lost it in a card game. However, these days the land is filled with bands of roaming ghouls mutilating people and playing metal.

The longest song on the EP at 5 minutes, “Inner Sanctum” is the band’s story on how they lure the innocent into their lair for grisly torture. Their second track, “Spill Your Guts,” continues the story with HOW Ghoul will torture you or anyone else they capture. I especially liked the line about once spilling your guts they’ll sop up the drippings “with your Iron Reagan shirt,” in a grim nod to one of Landphil’s other projects.

‘Splatterhash’ is short, fast and loud, capturing the best of both bands in just the right amount of time to piss off the neighbors when cranked up. It’s also one of the last recordings—if not the last--of Ghoul with alumni, Dan Randall, on guitar as Dissector (he also mastered the first few Iron Reagan EPs/album because the metal world is rad like that). You could always buy the cd or download it, but for just a little extra, why not pick it up on split colored vinyl? That way, when you’re old and broken, you can pass it onto the kids in one last attempt to prove you were once cool and thrashed with the best of them.

Words by: Mat Weir

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cannabis-Corpse-Official/104903899597371
http://www.cannabiscorpse.us
http://www.facebook.com/GhoulunaticsAsylum
http://www.creepsylvania.com
http://www.tankcrimes.com
http://www.facebook.com/tankcrimes

Cannabis Corpse - From Wisdom To Baked (Album Review)

Album Type: Album

Date Released:23^rd June 2014

Label: Season Of Mist Records

From Wisdom To Baked - track listing:

1.Baptized in Bud 03:08

2.Zero Weed Tolerance 02:53

3.Weedless Ones 03:29

4.Individual Pot Patterns 03:03

5.Pull the Carb 03:22

6.Considered Dank 03:11

7.Voice of the Bowl 03:06

8.THC Crystal Mountain 04:06

9.With Their Hash He Will Create 03:00

10.From Wisdom to Baked 03:40

11.Medicinal Healing 03:55

Bio

Cannabis Corpse was founded by Landphil and Hallhammer in the summer of 2006. The band was a heart felt tribute to smoking pot and the most brutal band in the universe CANNIBAL CORPSE! The original demo “Blunted at Birth” was recorded in the kitchen of a shit hole apt. in “Oregon Hill” a small neighborhood in Richmond VA.

Members

HALLHAMMER - DRUMS

LANDPHIL-BASS/ Vocals

Review:

How can you not love Cannabis Corpse? For a band that mashes together the twin loves of the Florida death metal scene and that fine illicit herb (of which a great many of us know nothing at all about, officer…) LandPhil and HallHammer, for all their giggling tongue-in-cheek references to weed, have created some simply stellar death metal tracks, and their fun-loving attitude has meant that they haven’t taken the genre and the mythos of death metal too seriously. The Cannabis Corpse back catalogue is a testament to making fun, brutal music, and now that they’ve newly signed to Season of Mist, we’ve got a brand new album to fiend on. ‘From Wisdom to Baked’ is 11 tracks of pure homegrown riot music. I took a lungful and this is what I had to say…

Naturally, Cannabis Corpse still have the death metal feel down pat on this new record: from ‘Baptized in Bud’ to ‘Medicinal Healing’, each track puffs out plumes of raucous death noise and coughs out growls that have Corpsegrinder and Chris Barnes alike nodding in appreciation. And the riffs. Oh my, those riffs. It’s like going back to the early nineties and taking a hit of the purest strain of death metal available. Be careful you don’t partake too much of this, mind you. Who knows what may happen to you…

It’s impossible to pick out a particular track here to stand above the others. There’s just too much yummy metal goodness on offer: have yourself an aural feast. There is some sick guitar work on ‘Pull the Carb’: a twisted little number that descends into doom tolling of cranial-crushing heaviness. Conversely, ‘Voice of the Bowl’ is a shredding stormer, with timeshifts that crank up the pressure and the intensity. Shit gets heavier than a three-day hangover, yo.

Cannabis Corpse may have chosen a laugh-worthy subject matter to base their sound around, but their musicality will never be called into question. ‘From Wisdom to Baked’ is eleven tracks of the tightest, catchiest classic death metal around, with a heavy bite and a unique flavour that always has its listeners hungry for another hit of the good stuff. Check it out and get the metal muchies right now.

From Wisdom To Baked is available to buy now on Season Of Mist Records.

Check the Band from Links Below

Facebook

BandCamp

Written by Chris Markwell

Check out this great track from the new album - From Wisdom To Baked