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THE PETE FLESH DEATHTRIP
Mortui Vivos Docent

Pulverised (2013)
Rating: 7.5/10

As soon as the grating opening riff of ‘Fallen Bliss’ rakes the ears, I’m hooked. Sweden’s The Pete Flesh Deathtrip may sound like some weird 60s B-movie, but the harsh reality is this is a solo project put together by one Pete Flesh (real name Peter Karlsson); an extreme metal journeyman whose previous band Flesh was changed to the current moniker for legal reasons in 2009.

To be honest, it doesn’t matter what Pete calls his band, as either way you’re still in for an unhealthy dose of blackened thrash, complete with the mainman’s scything guitars and scathing vocals, which are shared with guest contributions from Unanimated frontman Micke Broberg, plus an appearance from Arcana vocalist Cecilia Bjärgö on the track ‘Bleed’.

You just know that with a guy who’s previously written songs called ‘I Masturbate To Jesus Christ’, ‘Fuck The Romantic – Fuck The Gothic’ and ‘My Penis Will Be Your Opera’ that you’re going to be in for a zany, hate-filled ride, and Mortui Vivos Docent does not disappoint as Pete Flesh the solo artist vomits out nine tracks of cold, harsh metal.

Don’t be put off by the black metal connotations, as Pete Flesh also injects raw death metal into proceedings – the result being an energetically icy, yet fulfilling, platter that begins life with ‘Fallen Bliss’, featuring a catchy yet frosty riff which builds to a seething pace as Micke Broberg snarls with vigour and malevolence.

‘The Eternal Dawn’ slows the pace. It’s a well-crafted yet simmering ice-cold ear splitter of a number that builds with crushing drums until reaching a morose segment just a minute or so in – the gothic effects a real treat, until Broberg spits out bile all over it.

Elsewhere, there’s the thrashy drive of ‘Crave The Fire’, which is frenetic and as subtle as swallowing barbed wire, but again it has the ability to shift to a doom-laden stomp. The eerie tinkle of ‘The Suicide End’ drips from the speakers with a creepy intro before being sabotaged by a pounding guitar and atmospheric effect. This is probably the slowest track on the album, but also the most wicked with its volatile vocal and grating guitar which runs throughout.

There seems to be an old school black metal revival going on at the moment, and The Pete Flesh Deathtrip should, upon this experience, go a long way to cementing their place in the annals of black metal folklore. One cannot help be moved by the sinister rumblings of ‘Burning Darkness’ and the accessible chug of ‘Raven’s Reborn’.

And so with torch in hand, I climb steadily further into the depths of Mortui Vivos Docent and I’m immediately transported back to the early 90s with the vicious assault of ‘God Of The Crawling Whore’ and fuzzy bass ooze of ‘Bleed’.

Admittedly, it’s not a place I tend to linger for long periods, but when I’ve finally jumped off The Pete Flesh Deathtrip after the strains of ‘Recycle My Death’ have finally faded, I’m actually glad I paid the toll and traversed the waters of the River Styx.

Neil Arnold

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