Blunt Force Trauma -- Vengeance for Nothing (review)

Band: Blunt Force Trauma
Album: Vengeance for Nothing
Genre: slam death metal
Year: 2012
Label: Macabre Mementos Records

Made up of the former members of slam weirdos Jenovavirus, Blunt Force Trauma is slamming brutal death metal straight from Japan.  The one thing that seems to get thrown around when talking about these guys is their stark similarity to Dying Fetus.  It is obvious these guys took influence from the death metal icons (they're named after a Fetus song).  Despite these similarities, Blunt Force Trauma have engineered their own unique sound.
Upon listening to this album, a few things become apparent to the listener.  The first is the guitar tone.  It slices through your ears, and it's nice and heavy.  The drums also have a very powerful sound (especially that thumping kick).  Vocals are handled by all three members.  As a result, there is distinct variety with some vocal lines being somewhat intelligible and others being more primal and guttural.  The last thing that stands out is the sheer number of slam riffs that this thing packs.  The second half of "Forgotten Absolutely" is a slam riff extravaganza, and tracks such as "A Terror with Armed Intervention" and the closer "Inconsistency Politics" are merely vehicles used to deliver a plethora of slams to the listeners' ears.
One thing that really sets these guys apart from most slam bands is their fine-tuned sense of groove.  This album grooves harder than most in the genre.  "Blackboard Jungle" and "Live for Nothing or Die for Something" feature infectious rhythms, but "Exploitation of Humankind" tops them all with its furious grooves and rap-inspired vocal lines.
My only issue with the record is the "Intro" track.  I skip it every time, as "A Terror with Armed Intervention" serves as a better opener for the album.  "Intro" is good, it just should have been part of another track.
By the end of this album, I feel I can safely say that this is more than mere hero worship.  Blunt Force Trauma manages to slam and groove through ten brutal tracks resulting in a solid release.  You can give it a listen here.


Rating: 5 / 5
Top Tracks:
Live for Nothing or Die for Something
A Terror with Armed Intervention
Exploitation of Humankind
Forgotten Absolutely

Crepitation / Splattered / Gorevent / Stillbirth -- Worldwide Slamicide (review)

Bands: Crepitation, Splattered, Gorevent, Stillbirth
Album: Worldwide Slamicide
Genre: slam death metal, brutal death metal
Year: 2018
Label: Rising Nemesis, Amputated Vein

Prior to listening to this 4-way slam masterpiece, I knew of each band and was thoroughly familiar with Crepitation, but I wasn't really into any of these guys.  And then I listened to this monster.  Four bands, four different takes on slamming brutal death.
Starting off with Crepitation, the band I was most familiar with (I highly recommend their full-length, The Violence of the Slams), this shit is hot.  I know these guys for their fast slam attacks, downright sick sense of humor, and nutty vocals.  Let me emphasize the kooky, crazy dual-vocal performance.  The listeners ears are drenched in a torrent of spittle and vomit from start to finish.  I guarantee there are few vocalists out there with this much variety (if any).  It's totally whacked out.  The songwriting is just as crazy with sudden changes in tempo and shifts between riffs.  Of course, the slams come first in the scheme of things, and there's plenty to snap your neck to.  The quintet top off their wildly unique sound with samples of a dark, humorous nature.
Next up we have Splattered, who turn out to be my favorite of the bunch.  Beforehand, I had only heard a three-track promo, but their display on this split leaves me wanting more!  They start off with "Antediluvian Horror" which features almost straight groove riffage.  These riffs are punctuated with brief leads and coated with thick guttural secretion.  The song closes out with a crushing breakdown which highlights the punchy production.  "Gutted" continues the aural assault with one of the heaviest slams on the whole release.  This is quickly followed up by another slam and a blazing guitar solo.  Splattered close out their section with a pounding cover of Abominable Putridity's "Entrails Full of Vermin", a fitting homage to the slam titans.
Gorevent fills the next slot with three raw slabs of slamming death.  For those familiar with the Japanese slam kings, these tracks originally appeared on the Human Garlic Baking EP, which, I will admit, I originally wasn't a fan of.  This time around they are fucking amazing.  Tons upon tons of primitive slam riffs heaved upon the listeners' bleeding ears.  If you like old school Devourment and Cephalotripsy, you will love Gorevent.  This shit was made for knuckle-dragging cave dwellers, and it is worth every last primitive note.
Finally, we arrive at Stillbirth's three tracks.  The most modern sounding (alongside Splattered), Stillbirth mix pummeling brutal death metal with groovy slamming deathcore.  The tracks feature numerous tempo shifts and a multitude of breakdowns and slams.  The vocals are split between two vocalists and are a cross between standard deathcore and brutal death styles.  What stood out the most to me were the production values.  The guitars are very polished, and there are a number of strobe effects utilized throughout.  They manage to pull this off without overdoing it as many bands are wont to.
Overall, this is a massive split and, dare I say, album of the year (at least so far in my ears)!  Highly recommended to anyone looking for good slamming brutal death metal.  Give it a listen and pick up this death machine from the Rising Nemesis bandcamp.


Rating: 4.5 / 5
Top Tracks:
Crepitation -- Gelatinous Interdimensional Spunk Trumpet
Splattered -- Antediluvian Horror
Gorevent -- Kill
Stillbirth -- Hypnotized by Lies