ALBUM REVIEW: Scorched – Ecliptic Butchery

Today I review another Death Metal release from 20 Buck Spin, based on this year so far I can only assume it’ll also be killer. It is set for release towards the end of September, so keep an eye out! Let’s see what SCORCHED have to offer!

1. Blood Splatter Eclipse opens the album with samples that sound like they were torn from a Tom Baker era episode of Doctor Who, absolutely love the mood and topic they represent, a bit of nostalgia hit me for sure. The noise turns to raw Death Metal attack, with tremolo picked Morbid Angel like madness. The riffs are really groovy and surge together perfectly, topped with pounding drums and guttural, demonic vocals. This is a prime example of how American Death Metal is one of the main influences on the genre, and how sheer brute strength can work well in music. The tight punch of each note hits with full force and unlike us Europeans they seem to prefer a tighter tone with more mids as opposed to the scooped, full gain grind of the Boss HM-2. I love both European and American/Canadian Death Metal for very different things, and while they stick true to their homeland, this doesn’t feel like something I have already heard, which is what I am looking for in a new release. The ending section slows down to sludgy and just downright headbang worthy riffing, beautiful stuff. Full of brutality and assault this song is how to open an extreme album.
2. Disfiguring Operations flows on from the last song nicely, although seeming to pull the reins in with a more old school approach, less obvious malignancy in the tracks and a more subtle groove. The blast beats do come in though, with the song more seemingly growing towards something heavier. The penny drops, straight into maddening furious speeds with absolutely killer songwriting and musicianship on the whole bands parts, killer vocals and production reminiscent of early Cannibal Corpse records. The sludgier breaks that both songs have contained are phenomenal and just make everything feel that much more heavier, a real deadweight rhythm hits so hard, with killer riffs delivering each blow beautifully over precise and calculated drum use. The slower sections also exacerbate the faster parts maniacal effect well, showing contrast and much more thought out atmospherics. Excellent work on this piece.
3. Astral Savior brings speeds inhuman once more. Taking the approach of bands like Entrails in their mixed tempo fury works really well for this band. The vocals are absolutely hideous, with grindings riffs and drums that kick you in the teeth repeatedly. This is exactly how Death Metal should sound, the bands unrelenting approach demanding respect throughout. The mix is absolutely gorgeous, full of energy and punch while letting the music do the talking with a complete lack of modern studio interference. The morbid grind of the track flows so carelessly and really is smooth the listen to as far as Extreme Metal goes. The ending part is nicely haunting and spectral while choosing a calm approach, great sampling in the outro too.
4. Bodies Collect has a much more typical title for a Death Metal piece, coming in with eerie noise and the recurring sci-fi feel, the killer groove kicks in with chaotic but still melodic lead work over the top and a classic hitting feel to it. The riffs are gorgeous with the harmonic slide really sounding pleasant. The more upbeat rhythm of the song is certainly a nice change, keeping the listeners on our toes. The more reverb drenched vocals are so damn low and snarled they sound really evil, awesome stuff. The slightly more technical guitar work is certainly appreciated, and very well orchestrated. The drums are absolutely insane, reaching inhuman speeds in the blasting sections. The synths were a really nice and unexpected addition to the song, adding lovely little extra flourish for sure, once more finishing on some nice futuristic sampling.
5. Exhibits Of Torture opens with a snare warning for the oncoming, slamming and ferocious guitar assault both in the rhythm and lead sections reaching insane speeds and assaulting audio attack from the bass and drums too. The pounding and convulsive rhythm of the song is absolutely glorious with the more traditional Death Metal riffs comparable to bands like Autopsy, the song absolutely rips. Throughout this album there have been so many changes in pace and style but done so subtlety as to allow the flow of the tracks to remain uninjured, absolutely amazing work there. The lead parts add a lovely little flourish, but nothing obtrusive to the track. Yet another completely solid and consistently brutal piece of Death Metal!
6. Mortuary Of Nightmares comes into fruition with more of a slam feel to it than the others, but soon descends into chaos once more. The bass playing in this track sounds really gruesome and works gorgeously in the mix. The vocals and drums both blasting us throughout, with grungy guitars creating a mesmerisingly hectic atmosphere. The marching pace of the song dragging us through the catatonic assault perfectly. Killer.
7. Darkness Infests kicks in with a pace following from the end of the previous track really nicely. The songs sheer speed is enough to hold your attention, but within the are perfectly timed drums, killer guitar and bass riffing, amazing production and absolutely astonishing vocals too. Everything about this music is just so perfectly thought out and executed, much like label mates Tomb Mold and Torture Rack or HHR artists Cemetery Urn. The ending chants sound like Attila from Mayhem, they add so much ambience and darkness to the atmosphere, very strange for this type of record, but a great addition nonetheless.
8. Barbarous Experimentation follows on perfectly, with haunting lead work, rhythmic as hell bass, rhythm guitar and drums and such an evil feeling to it. The song has a much more unique and strange layout than the others with the music seeming to halt in parts, absolutely awesome, yet simple way to change things up and stop anything from stagnating. Once more this song is really drawing in my attention and nothing about this album allows itself to become overused or bland. The ending really is mosh pit fuel, perfect aggression and groove combined with excellent songwriting.
9. Dissected Humanity has the unenviable task of closing such a magnificent album, coming in with slower tempo tremolo grinding and a perfectly dragging atmosphere is set. The repugnantly grinding riffs with monolithic drums are so perfectly coupled and the spoken word parts sound really cold. A perfect atmosphere has been set. The fury and more tech infused riffs full of pinch harmonics feel like the band Malignancy, although this is much more raw and dry feeling, absolutely killer work, a final piece that does not let up, simply delivering one last meaty blow of Death Metal goodness. This song is just another chance to be awakened to how great Death Metal can still be in 2018 and why 20 Buck Spin artists need to be on your radar. Phenomenal closing piece, utter respect.

Once again 20 Buck Spin have delivered another piece of Death Metal glory that demands respect, a well paced and horrific example of how primal and old school Death Metal still rules the roost. Excellent work on this part, as I would have expected. This whole album seemed to be really intelligently thought out and executed with so much precision. Amazing stuff. -9/10