Weakest Is the Flesh

Best way to describe this release is that it's HEAVY and BRUTAL death metal. The first hearing this album and I was impressed. However, I wasn't immediately on the assumption that this deserved an "A-" rating. But upon repeated listens to, the more I thought higher and higher of. These guys aren't entirely new to the scene, they have some full length LP's. Based in Texas and on Hell's Headbangers Records they've really stepped up a performance. The guitars and vocals seemed to grow on me. They just downright heavy. It's kind of like Shed The Skin's latest 'Thaumogensis' which is another band on Hell's Headbangers. That label attracts some brutal stuff, but good!

The guitars are noteworthy and catchy. Alongside the vocals, they're really equipped to accompany the music. There was small bits of keyboards too, but not while the guitars were playing. Something unique to have on a death metal record. Reminds me of the second Malevolent Creation release 'Retribution'. The vocals are just chunks of slab hoarse as all hell.

The sound quality was good, there were no instruments drowned out by anything. Really well produced. My favorite parts are the chunky guitars mixed with the voice. Overall, a great effort. I'm not too interested in their older work, I just hope that they'll continue to progress musically. With this gem being as it is, I'm hopeful they'll keep up with momentum. The songs are really fast they're moderate to slow tempos and the lead portions (guitar) are pretty technical. There aren't a heck of a lot of leads, they just are featured on a few songs. Their musical maturity is way there and they show that they're definitely a solid band.

This clocks in about 40 minutes which I wish would've been longer but they made their mark in death metal history with this monument. There's nothing else that I would change about this except the duration. However, I feel that they made their contribution to the extreme metal community. And that they have!

Don't wait any longer, this is where it's at in a landmark release on this label. Do what you can to find more out about it!

A couple years ago, the Texan death metal act Church Of Disgust hit my radar with Veneration Of Filth, hinting at something interesting without fully selling me. A few tracks dropped last year as well, which felt refined enough. But it was the recent Weakest Is The Flesh that truly reeled me in. The aim has always been something geared toward the OSDM sound, and that’s always been obvious. Here is where I feel like they got an identity that stood out.

Vocally, this teeters the line of David Vincent-esque classic coarse delivery and something a bit more contemporary, along the lines of Ectoplasma. The mix itself is wonderful, something that the older releases lack, and the placement alongside the solos and monstrous riffing feels wonderfully balanced. Moreover, the groovier element doesn’t hold back an inch, solidifying this as something truly excellent. Combinations of doomy rumble with chuggier momentum under a more rapid coat of paint is the trick that reaches satisfaction.

Seriously, chops like the ones on here are wildly memorable for such a filthy style, rivaling that of Undeath’s first full-length. Bass plays a very heavy role in this; the suspense created by it in “Horrific Anthema” breaking into an almost melodic lead is unmatched. Follow this up with a crushing solo, and you’ve got the entire stage set. This is taken to a higher degree in the title track, a long tune that reaches close to being an epic. Dig up more traditional chops with screeching overlays in “Humiliated Remains,” locking in the emphasis on head-splitting rhythmic clarity.

Other areas of Weakest Is The Flesh rely heavily on more of a doom/death element. Repetition naturally occurs here, seen in the bridge of “That Which Dwells In The Gloom,” flip-flopping between a raw, faster approach and gloomier chugs. The crushing weight of “Seemingly Unnatural Infestations” assumes its position with a cold, looming intro topped with some of the most ferocious percussion. This very percussion is carried into the bridge near the end, executed even more impressively.

It may have taken a bit of time, but Church Of Disgust have finally entered the ranks of my favorite modern death metal acts. The echoed production did so much for them, especially with the drums. While there’s really nothing that hasn’t been done before, there’s an incredible level of talent, and the songwriting tactics are woven together beautifully beside the slimy aesthetic.

Originally written for ToothAndNailed95.blogspot.com