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MORTAL SCREAM
Unholy Blasphemy EP

Bali Headbanger Music (2022)
Rating: 5.5/10

In 1996 Indonesian death metal act Mortal Scream issued its debut self-titled demo. It showed promise and was succeeded by 1997’s Perennial Remains demo and then the following year Demo Tape ’98. The band continued to perform live in their homeland, but then in 2007 they were gone… seemingly lost to the foul mists of time like a ship swallowed by the waves and eventually succumbing to the sea-bed.

However, like some old wrecks they can be rediscovered and reveal numerous gems within their salt-eroded confines. And now Mortal Scream have returned with this retrospective EP, Unholy Blasphemy, featuring five solid tracks plucked from the archives and accompanied by striking artwork.

It’s no surprise that at their inception these guys were influenced by Suffocation, as one can here that sound here with those deep, effective guttural growls and the heavyweight riffs fused with blasts of speed. Hopefully, this compilation of demo tracks will expose some of you to the Indonesian underground because this is one rough, eye-gouging affair that relies on no frills sensibilities that aren’t exactly awash with overtly technical prowess.

‘Faceless Demise’ does sound like a majority of early 90s death metal bands but I like the shifts within the track, whereas ‘Carnage Of Innocence’ sees the combo opting for a more zipping, yet catchy outburst but the vocals this time take on more of a goregrind growl. Meanwhile, ‘Mythology From Knowledge’ is probably my favourite track here with its bony bass, its initial chugging and then thrashier noise.

Unfortunately, what really lets this release down is the sound quality. Yes, these are old demos and one can hear how the band has evolved – although not much – so you certainly get that tape-from-a-tape recording feel. I guess unless any of the members get back together and re-record these songs they’ll forever remain encased in that lo-fi, underground chasm, but there are fans of this sort of stuffy, almost indecipherable morbidity and the least I can do is get it out there for your perusal.

Neil Arnold

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