ALBUM REVIEW: Innumerable Forms – Punishment In Flesh

After a short break from reviewing while I was at Bloodstock festival, I return to review American Death Metal act Innumerable Forms new full length album, out on Profound Lore Records.

1. Intruders opens things up with some strange sound effects that have a sci-fi feel to them, setting a very different atmosphere to the usual Horror feel of most Death Metal albums. While there is not much else I can say about it, the piece did its job of introducing the album nicely.
2. Punishment In Flesh goes straight into sludgy and vile sound Death Metal, with excellent production and tones used across all instruments. Hideous vocals draped over doomy and distorted guitars with simplistic drums, creating a morbid and dismal atmosphere. There is melody and also a primal darkness to it, from the very off it is a promising start. The musicianship is fairly simplistic, however it works really well for the style. The gritty feel to the music is really well punctuated with tight production and a really wholesome feel to the music which itself is full of well-utilised rhythm. This is pure Death Metal with no flashy trimmings, just brutality. If you like bands such as Gorguts this is certainly the kind of track to check out, the doomy elements remind me somewhat of Hooded Menace, which is certainly a great thing. A phenomenal first piece (of course not counting the introduction), full of potential. I really hope this high standard is kept up.
3. Petrified speeds things up with tremolo picked fury and a vibe of bands like Entrails. The song structure is really chaotic and full of aggression, this is real Death Metal right here. The sludgy riffs are catchy and there is a really action packed feeling to the music. The slow double kick sounds absolutely evil and the guitar solo is blisteringly frantic, excellent work.
4. Purity’s Demand very much follows the dragging and drudge-filled approach the band seem to own. It is really great music for chilling out, but if you still want extremity. The convulsive and annihilating feel of the track is second to none and really enjoyable. The lead guitar parts remain basic but smothered in effects which sounds really awesome, and is certainly a fantastic addition to the soundscape. Gorgeously executed music, and another gruesome track, beautiful.
5. Reality brings in the groovy riff work of bands like Bolt Thrower, something I think that Death Metal in modern years has thankfully gone back to using in songs, while I love originality (this has tons to spare), there are certain elements in the subgenre it needs to have that wholesome feel. This band certainly use these elements and many of their own, for instance the doom-like catatonic breakdowns with a real punch to them.
6. Re-contaminated has some gnarly feedback and cymbal smashes before dropping in the crushing guitar and bass with its Boss HM2 laden tone, a real Swedish Death Metal hallmark, but this time from America, the music is absolutely laying waste to the listener at this point, each note hitting like a brick wall and a full throttle attack across all instruments, matched perfectly with morbid low range vocals that pack just as much of a punch as the rest of the bands contribution. The occasional flourish of melody is used in a way that isn’t overkill yet still showcases the talent of the guitarist. There is nothing about this music that feels out of place, which I think a lot of these types of bands sometimes add one too many parts to a track. This has a modest and approachable feel to it. Absolutely ferocious Death Metal glory is at its best in 2018 apparently. The guitar solo has that futuristic ‘Rings Of Saturn’ like manic tapping which works surprisingly well in this otherwise slow-tempo and downbeat track.
7. Stress Starvation speeds things up once more with the full menacing style of many classic Death Metal acts, the mix is absolutely perfect here, with everything being audible and nothing overshadowing another part. The precision and punctuality of each note lingers perfectly but steps down when it should, nothing feels overdrawn or saturated and most importantly the release keeps changing its angle to stop it becoming repetitive, something that is really key in Extreme Metal. There is yet another frenzied attack on lead guitar, but this band certainly works harder on the rhythm hooks and grooves, which have been killer up to this point. Yet another amazing track.
8. Joyless comes in with a really huge sound, honestly it takes you aback. There is ambience to it, and a really thick, muddied tone to everything. The vocals and guitars drag alike while the drums pummel slowly but with utmost confidence.  There is a real feeling of dread, and I find throughout the release I have been drawn further in to its clutches, and finding the outside world no longer relevant to me in the moment, something I think all good music and art should aspire for, a total grip of the listener/viewer. This song has more of a groove to it than the others, something that I think made Obituary one of the best Death Metal bands, and something that certainly pays off for these guys too. I think the title is really fitting after the recent loss of ‘Killjoy’ from Necrophagia, whether that had any relevance to the naming process I do not know, but the idea is a nice one.
9. Firmament fades in, something that always gives a nice old school feel to music of any genre. The pulsing drums and grimy guitar really hit you and build the song in nicely, paralleled by feedback. The chugging drums over the drawn out guitar/bass section sounds really menacing and grimy, damn good introduction. The once more catatonic pace of the song really sends the listener into a trance of sheer brutality, as we are mesmerized by the heavily Doom influenced crisp Death Metal. The thrilling thing about this release, is that you have absolutely no idea where it will go next (maybe more towards doom, faster and more frantic Death Metal, or maybe something completely different). The instrumental piece gives the album a nice, short break with some cool little bits of lead guitar work to add some posture to it.
10. Meaning is the closing piece, which in itself is genuinely sad to type, as I have enjoyed the whole release so much. Once more the feedback intro is used, coming into full fledged Doom Metal territory, it gnaws away at you how this music is so sheer in its grinding feel. The ridiculously heavy song draws the album out very nicely, with a slow tempo piece of Death-Doom, executed beautifully, or hideously (depending where you stand on Extreme Metal). There are much faster parts too which caught me off guard, the album is really great at keeping me on my toes. This track is one of the best, no matter how you like Death Metal there is something in this piece for you, and most impressively, they tie it all together so well. Absolutely astounding final piece and album for the record.

There is a really solid community of Old School Death Metal and Doom-Death (in parts for this release) fans alike at the minute and I think with that this record is a very valuable addition to these scenes. While I must admit it is not my number 1 release of its kind this year, it certainly is one of the better ones (alongside Tomb Mold, Torture Rack, Cemetery Lust and many others). A must listen for fans of bands like Asphyx. -8/10