2025 Xtreem Music (CD, LP, Cassette)
www.xtreemmusic.com
I was excited when I saw this one hit my inbox - Avulsed has, over the years, become an underground institution. I have to admit to only sparsely picking up their back catalog over the years, but that's set to change, because this record just smashed my fuckin' head in. And that's good. The sound of the band has largely remained the same, just refined a bit further each time, which is something I deeply cherish in a band. Everyone knows what it's like to buy a record and it sounds nothing like the band you liked. Avulsed is not immune to missteps in their career, but have not had a massive one since the weird-ass Cybergore album (remember that fuckin' thing?). They remain true to death metal.
Avulsed's songwriting is impeccable here, damn near traditional songwriting in some cases, and that makes for a seriously memorable album, and there are hooks aplenty. Sonically, the album is perfect for death metal - clear, heavy, and without the over-digitized slickness of some of the major label bands. They took their time on this one, and the mix even adds to the overall feel of the record, which is unusual for releases today. Dave Rotten's vocals are as sick as ever, bringing a disgusting growl forth from his guts as usual. The guitars are thick, heavy, and the drums and bass are equally well-recorded, with a nice fat snare sound. The record also seems to grow in intensity as you get deeper into it, and by the time you hear "Guts of the Gore Gods," and the title track, "Phoenix Cryptobiosis," the urge to windmill your hair is damn near irresistible.
I need to point out something very special about this band. The guitar solos. Not every death metal band has excellent guitar solos, but Avulsed does, and in more than just a few tracks They're largely short, because it's death metal, but when they hit, they're that much more special because of it. They generally appear at the most atmospheric points of the album, when the cavernous heaviness is being leaned upon and the tempo slows down a little. I really enjoy this aspect of Avulsed's work on the new record, and it hearkens back to their classic Eminence in Putrescence, which, if you haven't heard it, is a masterclass in balancing brutality and atmosphere, a synthesis of American brutality and European melodicism, at least that's how I always think of it.
Let's wrap up, trashbags, because I don't want to start rambling! This record drops in March 2025, so keep your eyes peeled for it. If your local record store stocks Xtreem Music releases (mine does), get it there and show 'em death metal fuckin' sells. If not, distros far and wide will have this record. I see vinyl in my future for sure, or perhaps a cassette. Either way, it's gonna be analog. Thank you, Avulsed, for making good death metal 33 years later. I appreciate it to my core.
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