Was the year’s best Death Metal album coming from the Goregrind/Slam side of the fence on your bingo card? 

Sanguisugabogg are here to fucking bring it on Hideous Aftermath (Century Media). 

For fans, expectations were high. Any production tweaks, including the snare, that you thought the guys ever needed have been dialed in to something close to perfect. There is also way more attention to detail in songwriting as riffs have purpose and are not just shifting into the next heaviest chug possible. Songwriting is storytelling, and the message is conveyed with a more mature and refined vision. Vocalist Devin Swank still does what he does, though his phrasing is refined, and more articulate without sacrificing brutality. 

“Felony Abuse Of A Corpse” finds the guitar providing some unexpected grooves. This is not just crush-your-skull heavy, but a fun listen.  

“The Ritual Of Autophagia” is a little more straightforward, driven by impressive drumming and a steady chug that finds them on the successors to Cannibal Corpse‘s throne. This song features a guest vocal by Todd Jones from Nails, summoning a higher snarl not used since “Abandon All Life.” The title track alternates between dense grooves and blast beats, which come in spurts as Devin unleashes the more gore-grind-like gurgles and pig squeal that his fan base grew up on. You can debate if those labels still apply to the band, but all of those other names have fallen under Death Metal anyway. 

“Abhorrent Contraception” is the first single that came from this album, and it felt like they were taking things into a more classic Death Metal direction then. There are a few riffs that carry what might be described as having a breakdown feel. “Repulsive Demise” might have the album’s most interesting moments as it works off a darker tension, rather than the kind of steamrolling riffs you associate with the genre. Despite its simplistic nature, the industrial drone turns this into one of the most unique metal songs of the year. “Erotic Beheading” is a brutal blasting that looks back at where they came from and finds it tightened into where they are now. 

“Sanctified Defilement” might take a few listens to click. Even though there is more blasting than what is offered on most songs, it is still balanced out with more deliberate riffage. “Semi Automatic Facial Reconstruction” works off a syncopated dissonance that is different for them. Travis Ryan from Cattle Decapitation brings some higher-pitched screams to the occasion. The almost eight-minute “Paid In Flesh” throbs with a tremendous groove, and finds Cody Davidson working overtime behind the kit. Normally, it is redundant to give Death Metal drummers tons of praise, as it comes with the job that you have to be a monster to play this shit, but Davidson really goes above and beyond on this album. Dylan Walker from Full Of Hell lends his tormented anguish to the song. “To Build A Mountain” is more deliberate and sonically crushing. This album exceeds expectations and shows they are one of the best new Death Metal bands worthy of carrying the genre forward. It’s hard to imagine someone making a heavier album with better songwriting this year.

Buy the album here:
https://amzn.to/4n5dKY0

9 / 10
WIL CIFER
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