It’s amazing to think how much the sound of early Dismember and Entombed have sunk their claws into the hearts and minds of the death metal psyche. That guitar tone alone has spread its dark, evil tendrils to many a guitar player and aspiring band members, so because of this, the disease has spread to so many throughout the (death) metal world. So it is hard not to fault the huge amount of bands that are putting forth their own take on those genre defining albums. I was reading Kristofor Allred’s review on the latest Dreaming Dead here on the TOTD site (go check it out) his opening paragraph is hitting the nail on the proverbial skull head. It is rough to listen to all music and plus when you get a coffin load of bands doing THIS sound, well suffice it to say it can be kind of rough to be be open minded,  to have that enthusiasm and not have a “OMG not ANOTHER Dismember/Entombed clone!” mindset when listening to these albums.

From the get go, after the obligatory intro, listening to the opening song, “Those Who Dwell In The Abyss”, your immediate thought is Dismember’s Like An Everflowing Stream, and it doesn’t end there. Shades of Merciless, Nihilist and Unleashed come to mind. Vocalist/ Bassist JH Wilschrey comes across similar to Johnny Hedlund. A plus about this release, while listening to it a few times, while I try to absorb the deathly essence of the band. I feel they have a more old school, not overproduced sound, which is a good thing. I think with bands like Revel In Flesh, Entrails and some others, while great bands and I love their sound, sometimes it seems like they are really pushing that sound, really over emphasizing THAT guitar tone.

With Soulrot they sound more older, a bit grimier, all sounds come together to make that rotten feeling meld together. “Infertile Anti-Womb” is a good example. That bass intro sounds just real, like the bassist has the same strings on his bass for ages. He plugs in, takes a swig of whiskey and cranks it, it just sounds so deathly natural ( ha ha, my new production term for bands ) The drum sound will give you that feel also, again not big warm sounding drums, clean and crisp, no, no my friends, this has that sound more tattered, more simple sounding. Again NOT a bad thing its just gives that feel that this could have been produced in those glory filled heydays. Listen to “Incorporeal Autopsy” and take note. “The Putrid Canvas”, continues with the Entombed worship and makes it a strong song and an interesting listen. “Majestic Rot” could have been a tattered carcass remnant off Dismember’s early albums. Gritty, pummeling but no crazy speed. Just that steady, decayed corpse groove. While getting familiar and doing some research on the band,they seemed to have a bit more speed on their early releases incorporated into their sound along with a more Autopsy/Incantation base.

So while yes, this album is very derivative and not pushing any new ground and some will say why?? But then we must see and listen too that energy, the passion and just that truly old school feeling they put forth that gives Soulrot some merit. Worth a good listen and support, check them out on the Memento Mori label.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments