Album Review: Innards - Back From The Grave, Straight In Your Face
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
There seems to be an inordinate amount of old school death metal on the market these days, much of it not particularly great, it must be said. However, if your tastes lay with the gnarly fast and rampant bludgeoning approach, you may just want to wrap your listening implements around this feisty three track EP from Portuguese death metal monsters Innards. Using an intro from The Evil Dead, the opening track ‘Night Of The Anthropophagous’ explodes with a furious blast which leaves you grabbing the hand rails for support. Searing razor-sharp guitars, driving bass and crashing drumming combine whilst the rasping vocal delivery switches between the demonic and downright evil at will.
The band was formed by Hugo Andremon, former guitarist of several metal acts such as, Grog, Filii Nigrantium Infernalium, The Sorcerer and HellFuck in February 2017. With a three year wait whilst he sought to establish a line-up capable of delivering the music wanted, the line-up was finally completed when Rui Gil (Bass) hooked up. With session drummer Roland Garros providing the solid foundations to the EP, it was clearly all systems go and the result is visceral. Having been part of Grog’s classic cult album ‘Macabre Requiems’ from 1996, Andremon has worked hard for a worthy successor. Whilst this EP may not yet stand in such exalted company, ‘Back From The Grave, Straight In Your Face’ is laced with the same feeling and atmosphere. ‘Enlightenment Through Hate’ is possibly more intense than the opener, and has the bonus of Frank Blackfire, the German thrash legend who plays guitar with Sodom and formerly Kreator guesting and adding slashing riffage. The EP closes with ‘The Fog’, another pummelling track that starts with a thrashy chug before morphing into full acceleration, unstoppable blast beats, gruff vocals and punishing time changes. At 16 minutes, this really is a taster for what may come. Should Innards get to release a full album, it’ll be time to get the seatbelt in place. Those grab rails just won’t be enough.
‘Back From The Grave, Straight In Your Face’ is released by Transcending Obscurity Records on 21st February
