EP REVIEW: Under The Church – Total Burial

Swedish Death Metal masters UNDER THE CHURCH are back with a new EP, set for release via Pulverised Records on December 3rd.

Thrashing into life with crisp riffs, barreling drums and one vicious snarl, the speeding fury of the record has a more blackened flare than the usual Swedeath while keeping their roots intact. Those crushing riffs are nicely varied with meaty stomps and blistering tremolo picking carrying while the drums ensure there is a catchy yet utterly devastating in delivery. It should be abundantly clear from the get-go how experiences these musicians are within the diabolical realm of Extreme Metal and their execution of frenzied brutality is truly feral. Buzzing guitars are naturally present if a bit more trebly than usual to give an almost static sound to them, which when coupled with the chaotic violence of the music makes for a brain-spraying mix of sounds. More doomy sections give a brief respite for the atmosphere to grow, leaving anticipation in the wake of anarchy before delivering more storms of savagery. One element of the instrumentals I have not mentioned yet are the solos, which are insanely shredded bouts of maniacal fretwork, in keeping with the overall high-speed deluge of death.

As the EP progresses, a more old school approach seeps into a more present focus on tracks like “Depraved Vocation” which is a modern Swedeath master craft. The blend of renewed ideas and elements surviving from back in the Nirvana 2002 days ensures we get a cut of monstrous Death Metal with all the old school glory and yet without rehashing their own music at all. Hideously heavy and with dynamics the shift in a natural yet exciting manner, there is no arguing that these maniacs still have some killer tricks up their sleeve and fly the flag of Swedish Death Metal with integrity. Sometimes a bit fragmented or repetitive but never dull or weak, the EP flies by in a tornado of viscera that overall is solid and absolutely fearsome.