Album Review: Intimidation Display - Pulverizing Inferiority
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
If you are a fan of the blackened death grind genre, then look no further than this debut release from Intimidation Display, as it will be right up your street and is offering you everything that you like, plus a little bit more. It’s gnarly, aggressive, and from the very beginning punches you angrily in the face over and over again until you writhing around on the floor in contorted, twisted agony.
The band formed in Baltimore, Maryland in the summer of 2021, when drummer Mike Alksnis left Germany and returned back to America, and following a series of ads on Craiglist, the trio instantly bonded and set forth a no-nonsense approach to music. Within a few months the band had written the 8 songs that make up 'Pulverising Inferiority'.
The lyrical themes of violence, retribution and economic disparity are spread across the songs, with guitarist Zach Barrows’ vocals being given a proper workout on each and every song. There is no let up at all, with the eponymous opening track sounding like a rapid fire gun shooting at a 1000 bullets a second, before that slow grinding kicks in. You can feel the storm clouds gathering around you, summoning the evil weather gods to lay down fire and fury to all around them.
The songs are all short and fast, nothing over 3 minutes, 'Worthless' is an epic track and allows all members of the band to show what they can do, with Ben Baris on bass leading the way. And when that ends, it eerily takes you into my favourite track, 'Ghosts'. This just has evil dripping out of every sweaty drum being hit, each guitar and bass string being plucked. It is worthy of being in horror film, as they show the lead protagonist being slowly butchered and tortured.
'Necrolepsy' follows suit, as it’s a really dark and sinister song, played aggressively and if you wanted a song to annoy your neighbours, then this is the one, blast it out and watch them squirm!!! Then play the rest of the album, to annoy them further!!
As debut albums go, this is pretty solid and although it won’t please everyone, you’ll love it if you are a fan of Dying Fetus, Decapitated and Immolation. So give it a go, and jump on board the Intimidation Display journey.
