From the label  who in 2012 alone was responsible for the likes of Resurgency, Ectovoid, Flagellated Seraph, Malfeitor and Decaying comes yet more very tasty old school death metal by way of two EPs from Turkey’s Engulfed and Greece’s War Possession.

Formed by two members of the now defunct Burial Invocation, who themselves released a nice little EP on Dark Descent Records (one of the label’s very first releases)  a couple of years ago, Engulfed‘s sound is not surprisingly,  similar to Burial Invocation‘s sound; Old school, churning, murky death metal with major nods to Bolt Thrower, Incantation, Immolation and such. Its dirty, raw and murky with lots of moldy, filthy riffs and with a respectable 25 minute run time for its 4 songs, pretty good value.

While not as full on Bolt Thrower worshiping as the Burial Invocation sound (I imagine the third member, bassist vocalist Sirkan Niron of Decaying Purity has diluted that influence a bit) , and the tone is more of the two US band mentioned above, the overall sound is still pretty killer with a some great moments of undulating brutality and some earthy, muddy slower moments mixed in. It’s hardly unique, but it fits right in with the current trend of old school death metal that is kicking so much ass. Its not quite up there with some of the genre’s truly monstrous sounding acts like Disma, Desolate Shrine or Indesinence as it isn’t quite as cavernous, doomy or chaotic, but it’s certainly in the same zip code. And if you were a little disappointed with Incantation‘s reunion effort, Vanquish in Vengeance, it might ease some of the sting.

The 4 songs all deliver ample blasts and slower, oozing moments which are the better segments of the songs.  The almost doomy girth that ends “Supreme Lord of Blasphemy” and the mid section of  “Inseminated with Demon Seed”, make the other wise piecemeal  if  convincing atonal blasting much more memorable and atmospheric.

Hellthrasher is releasing some pretty good stuff, becoming a solid old school death metal label, and while they haven not  released any real mind blowers like Dark Descent Records, they are definitely becoming a very reliable , consistent player in the genre as this and the War Possession EP show to round out their 2012 releases.

[Visit the band's website]

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