Bands outside the dominant demographics of heavy music (obvious internal Mecca’s being New York, Florida, Boston, Gothenburg, Quebec, etc, etc, countries there is no need to list we all know the whose who) usually fall into two divides. The first is that they take their influences (which can be easily detected) and compose thrilling pieces that acknowledge those influences but twist and contort them into shapes that render them unique to themselves and thus become distinctive. When this doesn’t happen the results can be diabolical, with classic riffs stolen, brilliant ideas defiled and further atrocities can leave the listener utterly horrified that this bunch of chancers would dare try to record these horrific pieces.

In the case of Abominable Putridity they thankfully fall into the former category outlined above.

This Russian 5 piece have been stalking around the international underground for a number of years now, it even looked as though this behemoth would never surface until Czech label Lacerated Enemy took the impetus to put it out there. They are also a clear indication of how widespread this diffusion (epidemic some will see it as) of slamming brutal death metal has become as it seems there are legions and legions of souls fanatically devoted to this racket. The band’s strength is their sheer focus on the prime fundamentals of this sound, every key element that needs to be in place is rock steady, the vocals are beyond guttural, the guitar tone is crushing and there are plenty of slams through out the album’s 26 minutes.

The fact that this focus rarely deviates is simultaneously and thus paradoxically their greatest strength but also their most obvious weakness for any detractors to pick on. As aside from the creepy ambient pieces that bookend the album and then break up the midpoint its low end chug, pounding (rattling actually) double bass and disgusting vocals all the way. Certainly the hypercritical cretins out there will cry that this is nothing more then overcooked Devourment worship but this is simply not the case. Unlike say Disgorge (US and Mexico) whose single minded brutality can become tiring (both best in gory chunks), Abominable Putridity can be taken in one sitting without the need to stop and recover for a few moments.

In fact each piece has is instantly recognizable with plenty of memorable riffs and tempo shifts. A particular stand out is the bludgeoning ‘Entrails of Vermin,’ with seismic, rolling crashes of the most honed chug converging against that aforementioned double bass that pounds you right in the solar plexus.

Then there is ‘Skin Removal,’ which features grinding riffs that peel through the speakers and huge, hulking bludgeons that are the aural equivalent of glaciers firmly obliterating all in its path. The remainder of ‘The End of Human Existence,’ continues with the same high level of quality before shifting out with the eerie title track which bleakly stimulates a cold, barren industrial Russian wasteland populated by ruined buildings and rotting vegetation.

Fortunately though, it doesn’t signify the end of the Abominable Putridity, but rather indicates that it is a new dawn for this promising band.

[Visit the band's website]

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