Not content with Dawn of Demise and their super chunky, hefty style of death metal Deepsend has delved into the Danish death metal barrel once again, and pulled out another killer, similarly styled act in The Cleansing.

Formed from the ashes of Usipian featuring cross band members of Panzerchrist and Corpus Mortale (notably Martin Rosendahl also of Iniquity and Exmortem fame), the bloodlines and experience of The Cleansing are unquestionable, and it shows on their volatile debut album – a perfect mix of typically chunky Danish brutality and modern polished, death metal savagery.

Armed with the all too familiar Danish tone and deep bellows purveyed by the band members current and former acts, Poisoned Legacy rumbles with the fierce intimidation of a battle tank mowing down infantry in high gear, spitting out a ridiculous number of down tuned hefty grooves as well as ample amounts of blast beats that never veer into uber tech or blasts fests. The tempered restraint of Poisoned Legacy is never lost on too much of either as the band delivers plenty of tracks that mix volatile blasts and satisfying groove and as heard on killer tracks like “Flesh Recycled”, “Ghost Lights” “Harnessed by the Shadows”, “Deliverance”, token huge, slow churner “The Domino of Phantom Effects” and closer “Awoken at Gunpoint”.

Admittedly, it’s hardly groundbreaking stuff, but with the experience of the line up, it drips with a menacing confidence and chemistry that only such a line up could produce – akin to the Hail of Bullets collaboration. Not that this is a great as ..Of Frost and War, but it feels the same and imbues that same kind of perfect balance only attained by veteran members knowing exactly how they want to sound and delivering it effortlessly.

A must have for fans of Usipian, Corpus Mortale and recent label mates Dawn of Demise as well as Lay Down Rotten and Moker, The Cleansing look to be another fine addition to the underrated Danish death metal scene.

[Visit the band's website]

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