Contrary to popular belief old school death metal connoisseurs
are of open mind. Play it well and we accept you whole heartedly. Play it like
crap and you’re thrown into the deepest bowels of ignorance never to be even
glanced at again by the death metal hordes. The band in question here, Vorum,
is a 4 piece band from Finland, the land that has given us bands like Lantern
and Krypts in the near past. Undoubtedly the land is the dormant hub in the
world of new school of revivalist old school metal. However, as I was saying,
all Vorum has done prior to this record has been a small 20 minute EP entitled ‘Grim
Death Awaits’ back in 2009 and a split with a certain Vasaeleth, a US band with
a cult following, and yet the band has gained an eager fan base in the current
death metal scene.
Released earlier this year, the debut LP by the band entitled
‘Poisoned Void’ consists of 8 tracks, including 1 from the aforementioned split
with Vasaeleth, which all together last for 35 minutes. Produced by a small
label called Woodcut records which till date has dealt with less than 10
Finnish extreme metal bands and boasting of artwork by Alexander L. Brown who
has leant ink to bands like Heresiarch, Lantern, Mitochondrion and Withchrist,
the music contained within this release is a no frills, unconcealed and straightforward
assault on the willing or unwilling listener. Compared to the EP that helped
this band gain a reputation for sincere, no time to waste death metal, Poisoned
Void is rather different. While the EP’s 8 tracks lasted 20 minutes, this
albums’ 8 tracks last 35. Except the final title track which lasts 7 minutes
all the other track are in the usual 3-4 minute category.
Apart from track lengths while ‘Grim Death Awaits’ borrowed
heavily from death metal lords Incantation and Autopsy this album seems to be a
mixture of Swedish, Finnish and US death metal. Contemptuously using the
chainsaw riffs made famous by Swedish swamis like Entombed, Dismember and
Nihilist, backed by the innate heaviness which was emblematic in the Finnish
scene because of bands like Convulse and Demigod meshed together with the
symbolic murkiness and song writing of bands like Autopsy, Vorum has released
an album that while has underlying influences in every aspect permeates a
knowledge of effective and original death metal throughout. The strong point of
the band is definitely the guitarwork and song writing skills. The guitarwork
uses the typical throaty screamed vocals which even though is nothing
spectacular is well executed and the drumming which alternates between blastbeats
which thrust the band to the next level or simple drumming in the background as
support to give the album its focal point. Most of the album is up-tempo except
for the rare Autopsy-ian doomy riff here and there. Coming back to the
guitarwork, the dual guitars with the catchy riffs, razor sharp rhythms and
melodic tremolo picked solos make for the bread and butter of the band as
compared to the EP which relied on brutality and heaviness. The murky guitars occasionally
carry a raw black metal tinge to it which help create the dark mood present
here. The ability of the band to know when to throw in the doomy section or the
face melting melodic solos or churn out high quality and catchy riffs and when
to stop is a definite highlight of the album. The way the guitars with its oozy
rottenness entwine each other and yet give each other enough breathing space is
the glue that holds together the whole band and moulds into a lean mean
cohesive unit. The production is real good, and really helps the band attain
the old school sound it wishes to achieve.
The approach showcased here is a gimmick free and simple albeit
effective one. The band hasn’t pushed the boundaries in any way whatsoever but mixed
together known elements in the proper proportion to give the old schoolers an
album they will truly appreciate because of the consistency, the fact that
every track here has something to offer and an unforgiving intensity throughout
without going over the top or trying too hard. Keep this one here in mind, it
will surely make your albums of the year list.
SCORE - 86/100
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