Straight out the gate, the swift and sinister snare-kick attack of the drums induces head-bobbing, as the band settles into a cozy old-school death metal assault. Whiplash occurs 20 seconds later, when Gus Rios pumps the brakes on drums, and then Gruesome unleashes the thrashy, thick, and nimble riffs.
This new song serves up a veritable smorgasbord of OSDM: sprightly shredding, taut tom interludes, brilliantly harmonized guitar leads, and most welcome of all, unforgiving tempo changes. ’Tis a band that has, across two EPs and a full-length, superbly embodied a genre (death metal), as well as a band (Death). In transcending tropes, Gruesome has evolved into a malevolent and mesmerizing manifestation of their original idea. The beastly snarl of singer Matt Harvey torments throughout, as his zombified larynx suppurates each tortured phrase. Like the preacher invigorating congregants to speak in tongues, Gruesome commands its legion employing a fire and brimstone approach.
Tenacity and precision prevail, as the band returns for another round of evisceration, preaching to the masses a familiar death metal sermon, yet replete with a new neck-snapping rancor.
The full length Twisted Prayers will see the light on June 1st, via Relapse Records.
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