One of the many things Resin Tomb got right on Cerebral Purgatory (Transcending Obscurity) is how compact yet fully fledged the tracks are. None of the eight songs run longer than 4:20 (nice), and even so, there is a recurring theme of individuality permeating through the entire debut full-length. A combination of desolate Death Metal and gregarious Grindcore is never a bad thing, either.

Matt Budge fires on every cylinder possible, pirouetting from desperate, hopeless shouts to full-throated huffs back to slow, pained and labored cries effortlessly. His vocals come together in that way that draws you into the genre(s) and becomes an apt harbinger of the terrible thoughts that may or may not be infecting your mind.

Not to be outdone is the rhythm section, which rounds out the five-piece. “Flesh Brick” possesses an inquisitive melody; the title track features a lengthy introduction that develops into pounding instrumentations; and “Human Confetti” devolves into ruinous slaughter and doomed existence (before randomly ending with sounds of city traffic).

Despite shattering screams and rampaging drums, “Concrete Crypt” finishes with a doomy vibe, further showcasing Resin Tomb’s ability to cross genres and blend multiple techniques. We even get a pick slide on ‘Scalded’. Most refreshing of all is that Cerebral Purgatory feels to be the result of like-minded musicians and writers more focused on creating impactful songs as opposed to turning everything up to eleven in a race-to-the-finish way.

Songs are neither rushed nor unnecessarily drawn out, and the replayability is a huge factor as well. Each time you revisit, Budge’s performance becomes more seasoned-sounding. In fact, the aforementioned title track appears to be a perfect companion to the latest Fuming Mouth record in its sludgy, driving persona that mimics being bludgeoned to death in slow motion.

Cerebral Purgatory is undoubtedly an album that becomes more exciting with each listen, and assuredly creates enormous hype around what’s next for this group. But in the meantime, take a few rides with this record. There is definitely something cerebral about this band’s approach to their blending of sounds and styles.

Buy the album here:
https://resintombaus.bandcamp.com/album/cerebral-purgatory

8 / 10
MATT COOK