Instinct of Inhuman Devourment

Slamming brutal death metal is a subgenre that is a mixed bag for me. On one end I absolutely adore so many of the bands that is genre has spawned, but on the other hand, some bands annoy the ever-loving shit out of me. I guess you can consider me very picky when it comes to this genre of chugging brutality. Ezophagothomia falls into the category of slam bands I absolutely love. Previous to this album they unleashed an absolute monster of a demo recording entitled “Ezophagothomical Invasion”. Which had a more raw, dirty, and all-around grimier production, while this album contains all of those things it’s slightly produced better.

When it comes to tracks on here it’s very minimal. There are only 5 original songs along with a Mortal Decay cover and 3 instrumental tracks. But the original songs are absolutely fantastic. Right from the title track, you’re blasted in the face with ungodly heavy guitars and drum beats. The guitars have that perfect raw edge to them that makes the slams hit harder, the drums are pummeling and fast as well. It can go from a frantic blast beat section to a slow chuggy breakdown in the span of a minute. That’s the whole approach to songwriting, very straightforward slam yet satisfying. It’s played and executed very well, it keeps the head bobbing the entire way through. I love how groovy and heavy everything is, it just drowns you in murkiness and intensity. That’s one of the main things that I love about this genre, how groove-laden the music can be with the slams and chugs. And that is what this album contains, mid-paced groves, slow breakdowns, and fast-blasting portions. The guitars even have a little old school death metal flare to them at times.

The vocals on here are absolutely phenomenal for a slam album. While pig squeals are something that doesn’t bother me with some slam bands, I like it when they are not present 24/7 and utilized so much to the point where I can’t even enjoy the instrumental aspects of the music. On “Instinct of Inhuman Devourment” however, there are no pig squeals. Which is great because the vocalist does a great performance here. Showcasing the lowest of lows and the most guttural gurgles, it’s very one dimensional but what did you expect from a slam album in the early 2010’s? Something new and different? While experimenting can be a good thing that’s not the main focus of slam, the way I see it is that the main goal is to pound your skull in with the heaviest music imaginable.

For the whole 31-minute run time it’s very reminiscent of Devourment, Cephalotripsy, and Abominable Putridity. All very great bands that this genre has spawned. As I was listening to this album I couldn’t even tell that a Mortal Decay cover song had been spliced into this album’s track list. Probably because I wasn’t paying attention to which track I was on but it genuinely sounded like its own thing. When it comes to favorite songs it’s easily the title track, it immediately sets the bar for the rest of the album. it starts off with your usual mid-paced double bass beatdown before shifting into an obnoxious slam that crushes your skull. I also like the little snare roll implemented into the song. And of course, the song can’t be complete without an ungodly heavy slamming breakdown. Other songs that are highlights for me are “When Earth Will Be Tired of Us” and “Petrified in Ancients Megaliths”.

The instrumental/interlude songs to me are pointless. Why bother throwing 3 of them in when you could throw in more songs to keep me in the mood for longer? But the actual tunes make up for it, and some of the songs here bridge the 4-5 minute mark. This keeps my enjoyment up for the most part, and to be honest I just skip the interludes. But it would’ve made this album even better if 2 of those interludes were thrown away for actual songs. At least the cover song wasn’t completely pointless, it’s a very good cover song which is a good fit for the album.

Overall this is one of the best slam albums to ever be unleashed upon this world. It’s got everything a slam junkie would love and more. Unfortunately, this band didn’t really do much after this. They only put out a demo and EP after this before disbanding in 2017, which sucks because I would’ve loved to see a sophomore release by this band. They’re one of the best bands in the genre. The demo and EP showcased a more brutal death metal flare rather than a slam approach, which those releases are good. But it’s the slam material this band put out that truly resonates with me. If you like brutal death metal and slam. Check this monster out as well as the 2009 demo. Incredible stuff.