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GLUTTED SWARM
…Of Old

Echoes From Beneath (2024)
Rating: 7/10

In the modern climate there always seems to be another grotty n’ grim death metal act lurking just around the corner. In this instance it’s Canadian one-man band Glutted Swarm who have really muddied the waters of British Columbia with this putrid pile.

Now, the first thing that stood out for me with this eight track affair was the guitar solos from session musician A.J. Through the gnashing brutality there are some fantastic weaving solos that rise euphorically from the bog smog as evidenced on opening song ‘Leprous Fire’. It’s violent death metal that at times engages with the classic Floridian scene, hinting at vintage Obituary.

Some of the steadier rhythms have a nice catchy groove and again I refer to the opening number before ‘Ophidian Drawl’ lumbers from its cave in sickly death-doom fashion. The mid-tempo pulsation continues before another cool solo escapes the gloom.

However, the main quibble I have with this opus is the degree of repetition where each track whether fast or slow just seems to be a formulaic preparation for a solo, and yet I believe the mysterious mainman A.A. is capable of so much more, as showcased on album closer ‘The Gilman House’. Again, there is that lumbering doom aesthetic, but this time a sprinkling of synths adds a dash of Nocturnus to the macabre folds. The riff tone here is reminiscent of something Obituary would craft, a morbid buzzing accessibility.

The album is a strong release within the genre, but I do feel it would have been better off as a shorter demo to test the waters. Even so, Glutted Swarm is another nasty corpse to add to the festering pile.

Neil Arnold

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