Album Review: Stages of Decomposition - Raptures of Psychopathy
Reviewed by Daniel Phipps
Los Angeles slamming death metal outfit Stages of Decomposition return with the bands first slab of new material in eight years. Packed with eleven tracks of rather uneasy subject matter this collection of morbid brutality goes by the title Raptures of Psychopathy and it will see the light of day in February.
Opening with a rather chilling sample taken from the Netflix drama Dahmer is hardly a subtle way to open up a record but Stages of Decomposition are not really about being subtle. The LA band offer up a dose of gruesome slamming brutal death metal, with some equally gruesome subject matter through its eleven tracks. Delving into the music side, Stages of Decomposition follow a more traditional approach to the slam style. Where a lot of bands get really focused purely on slam riffs the 4 piece have a great flow of straight up brutal power morphing into some down right pummelling groove.
Production wise Raptures of Psychopathy is not your polished modern sounding record, it has a really dark dirty sound which does play well into the subject matter on the record. Even with the dirtier production for the most part the record sounds great, I like how the guitars have some real nasty bite to them. I do find at points that the drum sound is not the best but that is really my only complaint regarding the production. One of the best things I have found with this record is it really grows on the listener and every listen I have found it more enjoyable as I have got through it.
Raptures of Psychopathy provides you with a savage dose of primitive death metal chocked full of pummelling brutal riffs and harsh guttural vocals. If you like your death metal with a layer of grit that you can scrape off with a knife then this is for you.
