I have not listened to a Comatose Music release in a while, so I thoughts I’d check in on the reliably predictable label and see what one of their latest releases was like- and boy the label’s shift to proggy power metal was a real surprise!

I keeeeed. It’s brutal slamming death metal – what do you think it would be?

9 Dead (named after a Pearl Jam concert incident that left 9 dead) hail from) hail from New Jersey and consist of members from a local multi named, defunct act The Gurchick Tree,/Molesting the Dead/Vomiting Omophagia. It’s a modern slamming/brutal death metal band with a bit of a deathcore vibe (especially the vocals), maybe the most of any Comatose band, early/mid-era Ingested comes to mind mixed with some East Coast groove akin to Dying Fetus. But it definitely delivers a solid slab ‘o slams within its simple, concise 30-minute assault.

The 9 songs get to it pretty hard with the opener “Abysmal Stupor”, “Wake” and “Tortured” with some hefty, shoulder-bobbing slopes and slams that I imagine are great fun at a live show. “115” features Don Campan of Waking the Cadaver, probably another idea of the style you are getting here, and goes as hard as the ‘heavy’ periodic table element it’s named after, Moscovium.

The next 2 tracks, “Realms” and “F-A-C-E” deliver more of the same until “Andromada” delivers a jarring acoustic number before the 6+ minute closer “Desecrate” delivers a more mid-tempo, varied, steady rumble that shows these guys can develop their sound a little when they want.

A solid slam album, although Kanine’s Karnage still remains my top pick in the genre in 2022.

[Visit the band's website]

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