EP REVIEW: Father Befouled – Immaculate Pain

American Death Metal savages Father Befouled are back with a brand new EP of ritualistic and venomous extremity. Set for release via Everlasting Spew Records on September 13th.

Without need for any introduction, pulverising riffs launch into a putrescent spew of atmospheric morbidity. The incredibly tight drumming sits with the stringed lacerations in glorious harmony to ensure maximum instrumental destruction. The vocals soon accentuate the obliterating sonic carnage with low snarling vomits. Perfectly capturing the archaic spirits of the old school with a grotesque and eldritch feeling to every lingering note of sadistic ferocity. The doomy and charnel nature of the band as savagely punishing as ever while the more melodious leads add a hauntingly spectral touch to things. Father Befouled really does capture everything that I love in those slower Death Metal bands such as Incantation, Rottrevore, Disma, Funebrarum etc. This is a masterful beginning to the EP that closes the gap from the two years since their last record. Let us forge further into the abysses of decaying corpses…

Annihilating us with a mixture of skull-cracking drums and those warped, tomb-opening riffs; Father Befouled sure know how to concoct an evil sounding song while the narrative of menacing vocals are spaced in such a way to evoke even more terror and torment. The production of this record and artwork serve in equal strength to capture the band’s vision with a gruesome and blasphemous putridity coming from every angle and sense. Such attention to detail and hard work from everybody involved is palpably present in every facet and no shortcut or oversight has spoiled this record. If you salivate at the prospect of truly cavernous and mean Death Metal, Father Befouled are one of those bands who do it right. Sure plenty make an okay clone, but these guys have their own spirit and worth that stands tall among their peers. That is something special and this churning EP of pure malevolence proves it.

How to finish such a visceral EP, surely there’s only so much we can take… Perhaps covering two of the best Death Metal bands of all time? What a final blow to strike! First up, “Pain Divine” from Morbid Angel’s utterly magnificent “Covenant” record is given the Father Befouled treatment. As a band with a natural proclivity for groove, atmosphere and savage delivery in equal measure, this seems a natural fit. Bludgeoning in with that unholy classic’s untimely essence, I can already tell this cover is going to rule… and it does! The zombifying nature of pure evilness fills the air with dread and mayhem, just as Morbid Angel did. Father Befouled manage to make their mark on this classic while honouring it wholeheartedly and passionately. Similarly, Finland’s Abhorrence are a hugely influential and essential band for Death Metal’s development and this cut of vomitous rot is show equal respect and high quality in its cover. What an excellent couple of additions to a magnificent EP. Total death!

A pummelling, atmospheric, charnel onslaught of truly astounding Death Metal triumph. Their sense of conjuring a harrowing soundscape while retaining the vicious bite and aggression that is essential to the genre still holds a perfect balance as the band has proven time and time again to have mastered. This new EP is a shorter but equally essential addition to this impeccable discography.