Cardiac Arrest – The Stench of Eternity (2024)
I finally got around to ordering this banger from Illinois-based death metal band Cardiac Arrest via Hells Headbangers. Cardiac Arrest have been around since 1997, but I first saw them live a few summers ago at No Class, and I was impressed by the set. I’ve had a few of their records in my rotation since, but I just got around to ordering the most recent release, The Stench of Eternity. I can hear the influence of early Carcass, Autopsy, and even maybe Repulsion. I’m sure there are others, but what it boils down to for me is they’ve mastered the art of creating primitive, heavy-ass riffs that hold your interest. The beats pound those riffs in your head and keep things interesting. I’m a big fan of how drums complement the guitars in songwriting. You can have a hooky riff, and the changes to drum patterns drive it home without the riff becoming too repetitive. Furthermore, it’s good to hear bands at it since the 90s that aren’t trying to hop on metal trends but instead expanding what they’ve already conjured.
Oxygen Destroyer – Guardian of the Universe (2024)
While Oxygen Destroyer has yet to release a bad record, Guardian of the Universe is a fast-thrashing assault. The unrelenting combination of speedy riffs, the ferocity of the vocals, and the blasts conjures the destructive forces of the Kaiju. In fact, I caught footage of Godzilla’s appearance in Cleveland:
Hypoxia – Defiance (2024)
Full disclosure: I’m a big fan of Carolina Perez (Castrator) both as a human and musician. Her drumming on this record is killer. She knows when to fall back and let the strings do their thing but also when to annihilate. Her patterns are perfection. Defiance is Hypoxia’s third full-length album. The vocals are incredible and I like how they sit in the mix. The guitars are solid, have a great tone, and have stellar solos. The production is rather perfect, a little on the polished end, but it doesn’t take away from the grit and extremity. I think it’s done well because everything stands out on vinyl, through a computer, or even in the car; honorable mention to Noah Buchanan at Mercinary Studios.
Virulence – Necrosis (2022)
Hailing from Tampa, Virulence embraces that classic early death metal sound with modern production. Certain tracks give me heavy Cannibal Corpse vibes; think Bloodthirst. Elements of death metal and blackened thrash, Necrosis has an intensity throughout, regardless of tempo. The guitar work is impressive; they know when to chug it out and when to rip. The solos are tasteful. Sometimes I find with bands similar to this– i.e. more technical– the writing can become more about showing off what each person can do rather than writing a cohesive song. Virulence did an artful job, knowing when to rip and when to lean into the heavy.
Wormrot – Hiss (2022)
I still have to get Wormrot’s Hiss on some physical format. While I don’t think Wormrot sounds like Pig Destroyer exactly, I believe Wormrot experimented in a way similar to the band. Hiss is absolutely unhinged and probably the best grindcore record in years. The songwriting is impeccable; I don’t skip any tracks. It’s a frenzied masterpiece, and it’s sad that Arif left the band as this came out, but his reasons are valid. His voice on this record combat the guitars and rhythmic with an intensity that makes it hard to believe he was losing any interest in the band.