Vomitory : Opus Mortis VIII
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
Ahh, Vomitory—a name that brings forth images of summer days and picnics in the park with friends. A puppy chases a kitten across your blanket as you laugh and enjoy the sun. Then a hungry grizzly bear gobbles them up, regurgitating a pool of blood and hair onto your bologna sandwich. These are the days you wish would last forever.
Silliness aside, Sweden’s Vomitory are set to spew forth their latest effort, Opus Mortis VIII, and while they may be celebrating over 20 years as a band, they have only improved with age.
Unlike many of their Swedish contemporaries, the members of Vomitory have stayed true to the death metal sound that made their homeland such an important metal hotspot in the ‘90s. You won’t find any female vocals, keyboard solos, or Hot Topic-esque pseudo-depressive lyrics here. Nope, this is blood and guts, headbanging death metal the way it used to be. This harkens back to a time when death metal was about as extreme as metal got, and though the early sound may have been outdone in terms of speed and technicality, it’s comforting to know some bands still embrace it in its purest form.
Like fellow stalwarts Benediction and Bolt Thrower (and retro-grunters Death Breath), the songs on Opus Mortis VIII are brutal and heavy, and though blast beats do pop up from time to time, there is more reliance on chugging, thrasy metal riffs that get the head banging and crowd moshing. Opener “Regorge in the Morgue” is an excellent overview of the album to follow, as it begins with a retro thrash riff before morphing into an all-out, blast-fueled death romp. “Bloodstained” follows suit, displaying a great mix of classic death sounds with some more modern flairs, and also features an excellent melodic double lead break. In fact, the occasional journey into melodic riffing does a great job of keeping the album exciting and ensuring it doesn’t fade into atonal noise territory.
Others standout tracks include “Shrouded in Darkness,” which feels very much like an outtake from the most recent Bolt Thrower album, and closer “Requiem for the Fallen,” which is not too far from the deathier side of Immortal. It should be noted, however, that in both cases the songs sound fresh and original, not like direct copies of the aforementioned influences.
On top of the great songs, production, and art that carry Opus Mortis VIII, praise should also be given for the musicianship. This is very much an album recorded by real people. It’s not freakishly perfect, and that humanness makes it so much better. Too many bands rely on computers and skilled engineers to make their questionable playing seem better than it is. Vomitory’s members have taken the odd approach of actually being good at what they do, and the album quality reflects that notion.
Again, Opus Mortis VIII doesn’t reinvent death metal, nor is it attempt to make Vomitory into the next Amorphis. Instead, this is an album by a band that helped create a scene, and are proud to stay true to their original vision. Think of Vomitory as the guys driving GTOs in a world of hybrids. They may not be helping the environment, but they sure do look cooler.
Genre: Death Metal
Band:
Erik Rundqvist (b,v)
Tobias Gustafsson (d)
Peter Östlund (g)
Urban Gustafsson (g)
Track Listing:
1. Regorge In The Morgue
2. Bloodstained
3. They Will Burn
4. The Dead Awaken
5. Hate In A Time Of War
6. Torturous Ingenious
7. Forever Damned
8. Shrouded In Darkness
9. Combat Psychosis
10. Requiem For The Fallen
Label: Metal Blade Records
Website: www.vomitory.net
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.3/10