RSS Feed


ALCHEMY OF FLESH
Ageless Abominations

Redefining Darkness (2021)
Rating: 8/10

A couple of years ago I purchased the 2018 Festering Death demo by American one-man death metal machine Sculpted Horror. It was an impressive release, and so imagine my surprise to learn that sole member Tim Rowland had changed his band moniker to Alchemy Of Flesh.

Now, the new band name may not sit right with me but the sound certainly does. Imagine a world where Morbid Angel still rules the roost, and Alchemy Of Flesh’s debut full-length platter very much styles itself on that now legendary sound of twisted riffs and perverse percussion.

It’s not original by any stretch of the imagination, but Ageless Abominations is a quality death metal record. From the off we are treated to dense swirls of riffery and a booming, guttural vocal rumble as ‘Pain Primordial’ churns like molten pits of lava fuelled by an orgy of grinding bass tones and that massive riffage. There’s no pace, just methodically wielded heaps of blubber and bombastic musicianship.

‘House Of Earth’ arrogantly sneers and snakes, brooding with mid-range sinister aesthetics, while ‘Lobsel Vith’ and ‘Slipgates To Annihilation’ twist, turn and ooze with scornful grace. The production is top-notch as those drum triggers patter ‘neath gargantuan chunks of morbidity.

Other picks are the hammering ‘Knotter Of Entrails’ with its brooding beginnings and then there’s the earthquake that is ‘Lava Storm’, a pacier affair offering complex logistics whereby percussion entwines effortlessly with deep, driving axe work.

It is hard not to keep thinking of Morbid Angel as ‘Sleeping Chaos’ cavorts perversely; great hardened walls of riffage mounting with each tense second before the commanding vocals pummel the ears.

Throughout this impressive soundscape there’s an unnerving arrogance exuded from every instrument, and as the final great chimes of ‘Opener If The Way’ crawl ominously I can only be at one with the molten river on the cover and succumb to the entity presented.

This is muscular dominant death metal that demands your respect.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share