The 2012 debut, My Empire, from this German death metal act was a solid, if unspectacular, typically FDA Rekotz affair, being an old school death metal record with a bit of modern polish. And now 2 years later this young group has released the follow up, and it improves on the debut significantly.

The production and song writing has vastly improved from My Empire, making Kingdom of Worms a much more dynamic and memorable record. The production is bigger and beefier and the songs, while still straddling old school structures (Vader, Asphyx and country mates Morgoth still come to mind), there’s a sense of confidence and growth. The change could be attributed to new vocalist /rhythm guitarist Manuel Glatter who replaces Mahne and his Marc  Grewe/Martin van Drunen worshiping rasps. His voice is a little deeper and more commanding and it effects the whole release.

There’s also a slightly heavier thrash influence on Kingdom of Worms, but it’s still certainly good old death metal. The riffs hammer and stagger with energy and precision and just a little more added dynamics to make them stick a shade more than the debut. And just those subtle improvements and changes elevate Deserted Fear from merely OK to pretty damned good.

Tracks like the title track and the rather impressive chunky standout “Call Me Your God”, offer up faster,  visceral, thrashing death metal, while the likes of “Wrath on Your Wound”, “Shattering the Soil” and “Last of a Fading Kind” offer up a more restrained and even melancholic sense of war mongering  melody and some down right catchy groves for “With Might and Main” and “Mortal Reign” At times, I even get a bit of a God Dethroned vibe as heard on the fiercely melodic “The Agony”.  There’s even the obligatory atmospheric interlude in “Torn With Hatred” to break the album up a little bit. None nne f it truly breathtaking or groundbreaking but a

Of the label’s  recent releases (Considered Dead Thornafire,and Arroganz), the improvement made on Kingdom of Worms by Deserted Fear makes it one of the labels better late 2014 releases, a nice change from musty old school nostalgia and a band certainly on the upswing.

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