Album Review: Kontusion - Insatiable Lust For Death
Reviewed by Sam Jones
July really is the prime time for death metal right now and here we have Kontusion seeking to release their first full length record, titled Insatiable Lust For Death. Formed only a short while ago, out from New Jersey and Washington, United States, the band’s first self-titled Demo released in 2022. Their title track releases as a Single come the 20th of the month whilst the full record is set to drop this July 25th. Helping Kontusion stand out from the crowd is the reality that this band is made up for just two members; Chris Moore on drums and synths, Mark Bronzino managing vocals, guitars and bass. Already signed on to Profound Lore Records those earlier recordings of theirs have struck a nerve and thus Kontusion seem poised to make their big break. Let’s delve within.
I love how this record starts, as if you’re thrust right into a live performance, the guitar’s feedback is prominent and you can just feel the crowd itching to explode prior to the band’s permission to do so. One may discover albums that are bigger than Kontusion here but few will try and burst from the cover as violently, as apathetically as Kontusion do. Whether it be riffs or drums or vocals the band are always on the edge of breaking free of all chains and restraints that have been placed on them. Not only does everything strike with the impact of a runaway freight train but they also play at high speed too; often a band like this might bring things to a crawl to emphasise the weight of their sound, but Kontusion opt for a more breakneck, back-breaking assault that is guaranteed to rule some nasty pits up. The energy they exude is staggering and none of it goes away since tracks are short.
Talking of scale, there are bands who may offer a broader soundscape yet I can’t help but feel Kontusion do a lot within a limited space. As songwriting goes you understand this might not be the most varied thing to listen to but the vibe you’ll experience is one that will punish at every turn, offering no respite. Kontusion strive to destroy you in so many ways within this cacophonous and noxious environment that it’s honestly impressive. When the guitars and drums are playing in tandem with each other, the residual impact is utterly astounding as you can feel the bass essentially tear the follicles off your head as the band manically, rabidly punch you square in the jaw. There’s no facade or attempt to feign aggression here, Kontusion embody the purest vitriol and venom and bile one can throw at another human being. They certainly haven’t come to joke around and it won’t be long before you buy into the sincerity of their sound.
As mentioned, Kontusion’s songwriting is here to kick you hard in the testicles, repeatedly, without mercy or care, and it feels such a hardened impact owing given the songwriting doesn’t give their impact time to settle before the next piece comes into play. It depends on how you write extreme metal; some bands prosper with longer pieces but given Kontusion’s fervently vile adoration for blunt force trauma, keeping things short and to the point is the best route they could have picked. When you look back on the record you’ll remember the utter head crush Insatiable Lust For Death gave you since Kontusion gave you no quarter for that performance to dissipate in your mind. Additionally the record is a little over twenty-five minutes long so you could easily experience this whole thing in a single sitting on the way to or from work, fired up, ready to take the world to battle. Then you replay it, and another track begins, then another, thoroughly reinvigorating the band’s malice, carrying through it all again. This record truly embodies frenzied hatred.
I like the synth aspect of Kontusion’s music is minimal and doesn’t try to be a major part of how we perceive them, even as we recognise when they’re implemented. The basis of their sound is the coarse, muddied production that enables their rapid-fire performances to shoot off like bullets, but now and again when the roar dwindles and the band recuperate their breath you get the synth coming to play, etching some atmospheric quality into a record that’s otherwise preoccupied with killing you. The synths are arguably the one element that feel bolted to the ground whereas Kontusion otherwise feel completely sporadic and can be anywhere across the stage at a moment’s notice. Even the vocals are travelling along as they refuse to perform in one spot, perhaps a single guttural will sound off, perhaps they’re bellowing to the skies, the synths at least keep us from flying so totally off the handle. Granted, Kontusion show us the main priority for what they’ve come to achieve but it’s good to acknowledge there is more than a schizophrenic caveman beneath that guttural veneer.
In conclusion, Kontusion’s first album starts and ends with zero fanfare and given the nature of their songwriting, it’s absolutely in accordance with how the band compose themselves. With immense strength and zero consideration for your personal wishes, Kontusion apply both hands with knuckle dusters and simply go at your face with everything they have for ten tracks straight. By the halfway mark one would think their performance may start winding down, maybe something more nuanced; nope, this is Kontusion and they’re not taking prisoners. With less than a half hour to work with they pack more aggression and unleashed rage in their record than some bands do across their careers; one can only imagine the savagery their live shows must deliver. Keeping tracks short, under three minutes in most places, it allows Kontusion to be the uncaring monster Insatiable Lust For Death presents itself as; it’s no feint, Kontusion, attired in blood and viscera, are hardly sated by the record’s end. This is far from the last time we’ll hear from these guys and hopefully so, this was a wild ride.
