Loudblast and Massacra are two French death metal bands we all know from the late eighties/early nineties. Another perhaps a little less popular band back then is Mercyless. With an EP in 1990 and 3 full lengths (1992,1993,1996) and several gigs with bands such as Death, Asphyx, Grave and Unleashed they tortured the European clubs. In 2000 another release followed. Then it got quiet, but with ‘Unholy Black Splendour’ in 2013 they came back knocking at the death metal door. After a split EP in 2015, this new full length ‘Pathetic Divinity’ is a fact.
With one foot standing in the old school Swedish nineties mud and another a bit in the U.S. nineties Florida death metal dirt an interesting brew of music follows. Combinding the groove of Swedish death with the old school tempos of Immolation and growling vocals a bit Obituary style is a winning combination. Blast beating parts followed by more chuggy slower tempos with dual guitar harmonies as in “My Name Is Legion” will see to wet spots in every death metal fans pair of trousers. I am convinced that every death metal fan liking stuff from early Entombed, Deicide, Immolation and everything in between loves this stuff. The only thing you could carp on with albums like this is that everything has been done before, but that counts for 99 percent of all the music that gets released. Not only the music sounds very familiar, also titles like “Left To Rot” immediately make you think old school. Another very big ace in their deck is Max Otero. He is the ideal singer for a death metal band. He sounds like a mix of Tardy, van Drunen and Swinkels. Aggressive, brutal, harsh and rather good to understand what he is singing.
All in all an album every self respecting death metal fan should check out!
Tracklist:
01. Blood Of Lambs
02. Pathetic Divinity
03. A Representation of Darkness
04. My Name Is Legion
05. Exhort the Heretic
06. Left to Rot
07. Eucharistic Adoration
08. Christianist
09. How Deep Is Your Hate?
10. Liturgiae
Playing time: 33:00
Release date: 7 October 2016
Label: Kaotoxin
Website: www.kaotoxin.com
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