Flayed Disciple- Death Hammer

Grind Scene Records 2012

1.Bringing Down The Hammer 2.The Westboro Massacre 3.Interceptor

4.Feast In The Forest Of Impaled Bodies

5.Exodus 6.The Shrine Of Dahmer 7.Bleaching In The Sun

8.Torsofucked 9.Ejaculate While Killing 10.Pig

A short burst of someone screaming in agony greets us before ‘Bringing Down The Hammer’ opens up. It’s plain to hear where the bands ‘Death/Thrash’ tag comes from already, both genres heavily represented in this opening track, the thrash element forming the backbone of this brief instrumental opener. It’s only when ‘The Westboro Massacre’ reveals itself that the death metal side to the band’s sound really introduces itself, mainly through the use of guttural vocals with the drums adding some blast beats here and there to spice things up even more. What sets this track apart from a lot of the more standard death metal is the use of relatively melodic guitar solos which sit alongside the thrash orientated riffing extremely well. As the track comes to an end, the band sound very reminiscent of Germany’s own extremely talented purveyors of Death/Thrash, Dew Scented. Great machine gun outro!

‘Interceptor’ begins life somewhat slower than its predecessor, but this allows the track to set itself apart, and begin to the build the pace and extremity, keeping itself firmly in ‘mid-paced’ territory. Again, blast beats are used in short sharp blasts and used very sparingly. You would be forgiven for thinking that ‘Feast In The Forest Of Impaled Bodies’ was going to be an orgy of gore soaked death metal; quite the opposite in fact, tearing it up from the outset with full on thrash orientated riffing. The band do mix it up with some heavier death metal sections, especially when the pace is slowed and the guttural vocals take over, a real contrast from where the song started from. ‘Exodus’ see’s the band at their most brutal so far, opting for blast beat laden riffing, mixed with some quite technical guitar work and more overall variety, high pitched ‘screamed’ vocals introduced and accompany the main guttural vocals really well. When the band mix up the death metal side to their songs with the thrashier elements they actually start to sound like very early Deicide in places. No clones, just reminiscent in places, the style and structure of the riffing similar. Following on, without drawing breath is ‘The Shrine Of Dahmer’. It’s at this point you begin to realise that Flayed Disciple are sounding less thrash, and more technical death metal, even though the thrash element is never completely lost. This song sounding particularly brutal and ‘all over the place’ but in a well-crafted, precisely executed kind of way! The same could be said for ‘Bleaching In The Sun’, another bass heavy slab of pounding death metal, slower in delivery than a lot of material on offer, but music doesn’t have to be fast to be brutal and punishing, both of which this track is. Heading to the end of the track the pace does increase but the track never loses any of its appeal, blast beats once again introduced to ensure everything it kept as death metal as possible, with “Bleaching In The Sun” being belched out repeatedly, ending the track perfectly.

‘Torsofucked’ as the title suggests, is another brutal offering, and as seen in the previous track, a lot of the thrashier riffing now dropped and the heavier, brutal death side taking over completely, “You have been torsofucked” rage the vocals…not sure about that, but my ears feel slightly battered, taking a real pummelling, it’s all great stuff, the album really feels like its developed a sense of purpose and sounding a lot more brutal and ‘to the point’ than was witnessed in the opening tracks. This point is proved perfectly in ‘Ejaculate While Killing’, a real sense of urgency on display, a real need to fuck you over completely and leave you covered in the bands stinking spunk (musically speaking of course, not meant literally…unless that’s ‘your thing’ of course’). There are moments of ‘Cannibal Corpse’ beginning to creep in during this track, but again no clones, just some elements to the band’s sound reminiscent of the death metal masters.  Closing the album is ‘Pig’ which see’s all of the bands influences on display, everything we have heard throughout the entire album utilised in this final track and it’s a great final track to what is ultimately a great album. A great blend of genres, all played flawlessly with a production that jumps right out at you, mixed perfectly to let each instrument really complement the other. There’s no faulting ‘Death Hammer’ at all, it reeks of professionalism, is never dull and is a CD you really should have in your collection. Once you have listened to it you feel the need to press play again, such is its appeal. Very Highly recommended!

8.5 out of 10