Maul is about as self-explanatory as the name suggests, and In The Jaws Of Bereavement (20 Buck Spin) gets straight to the point.

The North Dakota outfit brings a brand of grimy Death/Doom with Hardcore influences bolstered by a scintillating production, akin to rubbing freshly cleaned bed sheets. 

But the production is about the only thing clean on this filthy joyride. The vocals can be fetid or mischievous, brusque or guttural, and even borders on what could be heard on a Brutal Death Metal record. Furthermore, those same vocals are never boring or stale. There is an exciting freshness even when things become downright deranged and not of this world.

Equally so, the guitars are at times abrasive and chunky, and at other times viscous and thumping. “Drawn To Drowning” features some of the best riffing on the record, but that doesn’t dampen the other tracks whatsoever; this record is not lacking.

Proponents of two-stepping will find solace in the electrifying aforementioned song as well as “Spontaneous Stigmata.” The main selling point of Maul is their penchant to play what they want, regardless of the genre. It’s in-your-face, turn-it-up-to-eleven fuckery. Not to mention the domineering presence the band commands at live shows. 

Merriam-Webster defines Maul as to “beat, bruise, mangle” and “handle roughly.”

Well, In The Jaws Of Bereavement does that and then some.

This full-length is a gigantic hammer that can bust through reinforced walls and turn skulls into sawdust.

Buy the album here:
https://maul701.bandcamp.com/

8 / 10
MATT COOK
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