After raving about Emptiness only a couple of weeks ago, it’s now time to move onto Nothingness. This is the kind of nihilism we can only aspire to…! And so, on their third full-length, what do these trad death berserkers from Minneapolis have in store for us?
I was a big fan of the festering pit of abhorrent mess that they called ‘Supraliminal’ and released in 2023. There was a poignancy, a precision and that hard-to-pinpoint aggressive pivot embedded throughout. Joining the Italian extreme label Everlasting Spew certainly increased their exposure at that point, and now they have opted for the same label again, that will only be an exponential trajectory.
There are no shortage of ball-breaking riffs and detonating drum displays on ‘Godslaughter’. Tracks like ‘Skull Evulsion’, ‘Divine Irresponsibility’ and the wonderfully titled ‘Umbral Spear’ provide bucket-loads of evidence of this. Nothingness manage to evoke a very old school death metal vibe – in the same way as bands like Necrot – but successfully manage to whip a few chains around it and drag it into the modern day in the same manner as, say, 200 Stab Wounds. It is a neat trick.
The award for ‘tracks to smash your skull to’ goes to ‘Incredible Violence’ where the very effective, reliable and gravel throated Barclay Olson really comes into his own. It is at this point of the 41 minute run time that you realise ‘Godslaughter’ is as ferocious as it is immovable; and as lacerated as it is impermeable. Hefty, acerbic and extremely enjoyable death metal – from a band who are as empty as a swamp full of dead bodies.
Best Paired With: Not Being Able to Get Rid Of the bitter taste in your mouth, sediment and curdled gooseberry vodka.
Reviewed by Jaff.
nothingness – godslaughter is out now on everlasting spew records.
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