I always look forward when I get physical packages of CDs from FDA records to review. I can pretty much guarantee its going to be some form of killer old-school death metal and that I’m going to dig it.

Well,  the new EP from Germany’s Evoked checks both the boxes. I rather enjoyed their debut album Ravenous Compulsion back in 2019 as it delivered a spot on early Asphyx/Pestilence vibe, right down to the Martin Van Drunen-ish howls of bassist Simon Alexander Wind (aka ‘Bonesaw’).

And in the last 5 years since the debut, nothing has changed – and that’s a good thing. The 5 songs from this short but sweet EP deliver perfectly rendered The Rack,  Malleus  Maleficarum, and Consuming Impulse-styled death metal. Nothing more, nothing less.

The 20 minutes of Old-school goodness starts with the galloping title track and ends with “Blunt Force Trauma” and in the middle is the best tracks “A Nameless Grave” and “Behind the Eyes”, with what amounts to perfect old-school death metal; furious, cantering, hooky riffs, some blasts and stout grooves. Perfect. And the vocals just hammer the influence home that these guys are one of the better early Pestilence/Asphyx homages out there right now.

[Visit the band's website]

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