ALBUM REVIEW: Sexmag – Sexorcyzm

One of my favourite bands of recent years is Poland’s maniacal black/speed/death/thrash force Sexmag! With a perfect EP and equally magnificent demo under their belt, the time has come for their debut full length album. Set for release via Dying Victims Productions on May 23rd.

Starting out with an appropriately creepy introduction, the tone is set for the ghoulish horror and evil that lies ahead. Storms of malevolent riffing and bestial drums fire on all cylinders with the maniacal sound that the band has mastered in full swing. Naturally the vocals are unhinged and the overall feeling of early extreme metal is filling the air with the stench from the crypt. From the rumbling thunder of the bass to the wild guitar work and impactful drums, everything feels totally unbound and crazed from the get-go, especially in the snarling howls of the vocals. The evil is cranked to eleven and the band has clearly got plenty of inspiration still lingering from their phenomenal mini-album. Albeit with a more violent and immediate sense of aggression, there is still that delightfully varied style that bands like Törr, Bulldozer, Sarcófago etc had. Blackened malevolence and deathly morbidity collides with high speed thrashing mania to conjure a concoction of pure heavy metal might that strikes like a hammer through the skull of a pulverised and desiccated corpse. This record is off to an incredibly impressive start and strengthens my hopes that the band continue from the grandiose heights they set their own bar at.

Raging like wildfire, there is still that melodic and catchy side to Sexmag that sets them out from the more mediocre bands but the overall sense of vitriol and demonic fury is certainly ramped up. Production-wise the sound is extremely organic and faithful to their sonic forebears which suits the band perfectly. Imagine polishing something so filthy so that posers could enjoy it? Heresy! Thankfully these maniacs understand not just writing killer songs, but making a complete package with the right production and artwork to boot. This is by lunatics, for lunatics. Having seen this band live in Czechia a couple of years ago, I know that they are the real deal and deliver on every promise of savagery and barbaric lust that is made by their unholy racket. I recall the frontman even walking onstage with a crucifix pulled out of the ground (perhaps used to impale and defile a wimps corpse as a warmup for their show). This record certainly does not drop the ball, continually defaming all that is holy with a rampant and crude metallic onslaught of the strongest will and convictions.

Combining all of their eerie essence, the atmosphere of this album is strong throughout. Their embryonic extremity and haunting sense of the macabre is so perfectly balanced with all of the furious riffing, drumming and howling vocals to give a real punch that has every element carefully considered and launched into the cranium like an arrow from the beyond. There is a very live feeling to this recording that sometimes fools you with a brief moment of looseness before snapping your neck back into position with the passionate and intricate playing filled with total dedication to the old ways. There is no other way to describe what I am hearing than authentic. This is real malicious metal that you can simply sense as the genuine article rather than some tepid imitation. A cure to all the trendy and flimsy bastardisations of black/death/thrash/speed/heavy metal, Sexmag inject the revitalising essence of evil and rage back into the genre and reanimate the corpse of eastern witchcraft gloriously…

A perfect blend of all things metallic and evil. Sexmag continue their blasphemous and bewitching crusade of true mayhem and lust. This record is a violent listen but full of memorable songwriting and excellent pacing that will keep you gripped time and time again for this blitzkrieg inferno of death. Malignant horrors and sensual sacrilege await on this ride through hell, you’d be a fool to miss it! Smell the decay, prepare for torment and die by the sword of true heavy metal!