Friday 13 January 2023

Rancid Cadaver - Flesh Monstrosity


Labels: Dry Cough Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 13 May 2022


Tracklist:


1. Flesh Monstrosity

2. Bog Rot

3. Malignant Affliction

4. Dragged Beneath

5. Genetic Enhancement


Scotland strikes again! As if BrainBath, Coffin Mulch and Penny Coffin weren't enough, Rancid Cadaver crawled out of Glasgow's sewers last year with their debut EP Flesh Monstrosity. Featuring ex-members of now defunct death metal bands Bhas and Castigated, as well as a current member of thrashers Fatal Collision, they're flying the flag for old school death metal. Dry Cough Records released their debut EP on tape in May of last year and it subsequently sold out, which has got to be a good sign!


Obligatory screeching feedback opens the EP’s title track ‘Flesh Monstrosity’, which is a doom-laden, lead-drenched song that’s as dirty as it’s name suggests. The vocals plough the lowest of furrows, even when bathed in reverb and the rawness of the instrumentation adds to the murky atmosphere. The pace of ‘Bog Rot’ means that it flies by pretty fast. There’s a greater reliance on instrumental prowess, especially during it’s second half with less use of vocals. It’s a technique that bands like Cryptic Shift and Slimelord have been employing more of late, and it works especially well here.


For proper death metal feels though, it’s left to ‘Malignant’ Affliction’ to bring the old school slams and general dankness to the recording. It’s a song that doesn’t hang around to exchange pleasantries, making the perfect midway crossing point on the EP and exhibiting some of Rancid Cadaver’s thrash influence to boot. Thundering yet fluid bass guitar kicks off ‘Dragged Beneath’ and it’s rumbling tones are heard throughout. They’ve always been present on the EP so far but seem to hit differently here for some reason. Maybe it’s because the low-end comes to the front a bit more, I don’t know!


EP closer ‘Genetic Enhancement’ manages to drown out the near gale-force winds outside my window with sheer blasting intensity. The growls are almost as low in tone and competing with the crashing cymbals, rusty chain-like riffs and galloping bass is no mean feat. Another top UK death metal release then. If they keep on coming at this rate, we’ll be exporting more extremity than we import. It’s great to see new death metal coming from different corners of the UK. Hopefully there’s more to come from Rancid Cadaver in the not too distant future.


You can stream and purchase Flesh Monstrosity digitally below:-



Rancid Cadaver - https://www.facebook.com/rancidcadaver

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

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