Remnants of Existence

Greece has one of the strongest metal scenes all across the globe so I am not surprised anymore whenever I stumble upon another great gem. This time we are not talking about a black metal or power/traditional metal band, but a classic death metal commando going by the name Blessed By Perversion. These guys have been active since 2010, with one EP, one split and their debut full length “Between Roots and Darkness” from 2016 under their belt. In 2020 they have followed up with their second album, titled “Remnants of Existence”. We got 5 songs and an instrumental, adding up to less than 25 minutes of playing time. It could be argued that this one should be classified as EP, but the music is so intense and straight-to-the-face that one could get the feeling of having dosed a larger amount of death metal goodness.

Blessed By Perversion are not so much about reinventing the wheel as the tracks here bring classic death metal sound and fury to the table, heavy in both atmosphere and groove, which hearken back all the way to the early days of the genre. This, of course, is where the band’s and album’s true strength lies, not in attempting to come up with something completely new, but in seeking simply to present their own interpretation of it, to bring the past into the present. Honoring the grand-fathers of the genre while injecting a good portion of additional freshness is what this band is trying to do. And while I am as keen as the next man to see bands continue to push forwards and progress, sometimes the best way to do that, the best way to express what is in your heart, is to look to and learn from the past.

The basis chords have a well-known classic and slightly monotonous sound, subtly sawing their way through the listener’s brain. Working as a counterpart to these basis accords lead guitar parts show a great variety and offer some nice and often technical usage of the scale, throwing in some addictive tone sequences and epic interludes in other places. There are a few moments with extended soloing and those sections are really impressive, bringing some technical skills to the forefront, but the main purpose here has been to write some rocking and pounding death metal tunes. The origin of the influences can mainly been found in Florida, but some of the patterns and more melodic moments also carry a definitive European vibe.

The songs are competently written, and tracks like the closer “Within Monumental Chaos” have a lot of the attributes that made the genre so popular. The mixture of hefty riff attacks and ripping blasts, groovier sections and more laid-back pieces makes up for a very entertaining listen. Vocalist Andreas delivers his growls in a competent way and is the final piece in the puzzle. Something similar can be said about the production, which is powerful yet organic. There is enough crunch without any instrument being buried in the mix. The physical version comes with a great cover which would also look nice on a shirt. So in case you are in the mood for a slab of well done death metal you should not sleep on Blessed By Perversion and get a copy of “Remnants of Existence” – it is clearly worth it.