EP REVIEW: Undergang – De Syv Stadier Af Fordærv

Denmark’s Death Metal forerunners UNDERGANG are a band I won’t bother introducing, being unaware of these fatal fiends and their putrid sounds is a near impossibility for any underground maniac. Well, now they are back with a new mini album of decomposing delights. Out via Dark Descent Records and Me Saco Un Ojo Records on September 1st.

Pummelling sludge drives us right in with guttural riffs and monstrous drumming. The massive production is as soaked in sepulchral ooze as one would expect from Undergang with a very tight and punchy execution to deliver this maelstrom of morbidity. Viscerally paced grooves and breakneck doomy moments intersperse grinding onslaughts of pure malevolence, showing this prolific entity are not slowing down with their creative streak. As one of the current Death Metal undergrounds most consistent bands, it is always a relief to hear revolting new pieces from Undergang. Whereas the recent (and magnificent) split with Spectral Voice showed a more slow to mid tempo, this mini-album is far more intense in speed. Those seeking a more manic sound will definitely dig into this festering carcass with utmost pleasure.

Although a band which has always been very riff-driven, there is no denying some of the most gripping elements on show come from the sadistic percussion of their drummer whose fragmenting blows will yield equal satisfaction as the meaty strings of torment. Naturally frontman David’s vocals remain as rancid and mangled as ever, something that has become a very recognisable facet of this band since their initial inception. Plenty of dynamics come in the form of d-beat brutality or grinding fury that seems to come out of nowhere to melt the brain into seeping rot before exchanging into some other horrifying soundscape with effortlessly smooth transitions. It’s always obvious when a band has refined their craft through years of playing the music they adore and that is evidently the case with these Danish maniacs. Strong until the end, prepare to be crushed under the weight of gore, gloom and gristle-spraying barbarity.

As always, Undergang deliver the pinnacle of putrescence, the zenith of zombifying rot. I should not have to tell you to ensure you do not miss this one, all seven stages of depravity will consume you…