Ireland’s Underground Movement label, previously unknown to me, has jumped on the Swedish death metal wagon with two pretty damn solid releases; Deathless and Fleshless from Venezuela’s Nocturnal Hollow , and this, a compilation of 2 self released demos from this Dutch band. Both deliver pretty damn solid examples of the classic HM2 Stockholm death metal sound. This album actually starts with a chainsaw being started on “Morbid Transgressions” (with a nifty little Unleashed homage tucked in there), so as to leave no doubt what you are about to get on the next 9 songs and 42 minutes

The 2 demos that make up this release are both from 2015, (they are ordered newest to oldest on this version of the album) and had the same line up so they sound virtually identical and consistent with each other, with maybe a slight different in guitar tone. The tone and delivery is perfect finding that balance between rumbling, burly Grave/Entombed romps (“Drowned in Darkness”) and more melodic, Dismember-y canters (“Glorious Gruesome Murder Manifestations”, “Emerged From Beyond”) and even some crawling,  slow burning moments (the wonderfully named “In Search of The Perfect Skin”, “Breed of Osteophagia”) and a little of everything (“Leeches of the Cross”). All of it rendered with the oh so wonderful HM 2 buzz and and some deep, powerful vocals. The album ends with a perfect cover if Gorefest’s “Tangled In Gore” delivering the song’s signature groove with aplomb.

While it’s not a game changer or an envelope pusher, it does everything right and fans of the usual classic suspects and more recent bands like Morbid Vomit, Entrails, Demonbreed, Abscession, Carnation, etc, will enjoy this.  The Nocturnal Hollow release is a shade better and beefier, but  I’m certainly keeping an eye on Underground Movement as label, as they nailed a couple of recent releases, and I’m intrigued about what else the label has to offer.

[Visit the band's website]

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