Album Review: Undead - Putrefactio

Album Review: Undead - Putrefactio

Old school death metal mixed with the putrid gore of horror; Spanish death metallers Undead have returned with their 2nd full length album 'Putrefactio;' translated as 'Rotten.'

With one full length album and two self released EPs under their bloody belts already, the quartet have brought forth a 10-track record full of thrashy energy and old school death metal brutality.

The record opens with 'Feast For The Worms' with a sinister onslaught of chugging riffs, blistering blastbeats and rasping demonic vocals; a proper old school approach to their horror themed art. 'Intermediate State of Reality' is a full throttle death-thrash pummeling which charges straight out the gate; completely unrelentless and unforgiving. 'Zugzwang' means a situation in which you're forced to make bad decision or a decision that will put you at a disadvantage; a move often used in the game of chess and usually involves a sacrifice of sorts which is exactly what this track imitates. It's dark, relentless and chuggingly sinister.

'Demon of a Thousand Lies' and 'Serpent's Gift' continue the relentless, demonic onslaught of lightning speed riffage and thunderous drums but with a slight hint of groovier thrash. Whereas 'Discordia' and 'Last Dark Age' kick it up a notch or 12 again with brutal old school death metal ferocity and a sinister mid-tempo flow that twists and turns. The latter of the two tracks has screaming solos and a commanding impact.

As the record descends in to the final section, 'The Call of the Void' doesn't take its foot off the accelerator and continues to charge forward in a firey inferno of screaming solos and blistering blastbeats. 'Mortificatio' is a surprising interlude of less than a minute long before it drops you in to the raging title track which also serves as the record's closer. Every bit as brutally relentless as the record's opener, it has its Slayer-esque moments when the track slows down to an infectious stomp before it soars straight in to snarling devastation once more.

A devasting force for sure and a cacophony of raging guitars, demonic vocals and thunderous, unrelenting drums, Undead goes straight for the jugular and doesn't let you go as it smashes you repeatedly in the face; but in a good way. 'Putrefactio' is hungry, chaotic and devastating yet highly accessible and listenable. A great balance between old school death metal and thrash with modern approaches, Undead are certainly a force to be reckoned with and one to watch out for.

Undead's 2nd studio album 'Putrefactio' will be released via Redefining Darkness Records on May 5th 2023.

Rating: 7/10

Release Date: May 5th 2023

Released By: Redefining Darkness Records

FFO: Coffin Rot, Grave Infestation, Obituary

Track Listing:

1) Feast for the Worms
2) Intermediate State of Reality
3) Zugzwang
4) Demon of a Thousand Lies
5) Serpent's Gift
6) Discordia
7) Last Dark Age
8) The Call of the Void
9) Mortificatio
10) Putrefactio

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