Master Among The Seeds Of Death Review
Master
Among the Seeds of Death
Hammerheart Records
2026
Master is truly dyed-in-the-wool, pioneering OG death metallers. They got their start in 1983, originally in Chicago, now residing in Uherské Hradiště, Czechia. Through it all, they have been led by one, Paul Speckmann. Across 15 albums, their potent, incendiary blend of death, thrash, and more than a little punk (in sound and attitude) has endured, and the band (currently consisting of Paul Speckmann - bass and vocals, Alex Nejezchleba - guitars, and Peter Bajci - drums) still crank out 50 to 100 shows all over the world every year. They are a veritable underground institution, and they show no signs of slowing on their 16th(!) full-length, Among the Seeds of Death.
What we get here is nine songs that are devoid of trends. One might argue that, in true Speckmann fashion, they are a direct middle finger in the face of what's currently en vogue, genre-specific, and cookie-cutter. No, this is throwback death-thrash from the late '80s/early '90s, which Master themselves had a hand in creating. Aside from an updated, crisp and tight guitar- and drum-centric production, this is Master, sounding exactly like fucking Master.
The only difference I find here next to earlier Master material is that Paul has toned down the more guttural vocal approach in favor of a more snarled mid-range thrash growl. (This has been the case for a couple albums now, so it's not a drastic change or a deterrent.) Make no mistake, though, his vocal attack is still spitting plenty of venom and still sounds properly pissed off at the world, just a bit more Mille Petrozza than, say, Schuldiner. Anyways, the songs are all in the 3-plus to 5-plus-minute range, chock-full of trem picking d-beat (“Twas Always A Plan”), slinking low-tuned single-note riffing with hardcore punk urgency and off-kilter sections (“Among the Seeds of Death”), galloping double bass (and four-string interplay), and chaotic guitar leads from “Injustice and Lack of Remorse.” Elsewhere, they dive into fast-moving power chords following a bass-and-drums-only-led intro before the Discharge-fueled speedster “A Cell With No Door and No Slave.”
Speckmann's lyrics are also of note, as they have always, ALWAYS been more like state-of-the-world addresses about how absolutely screwed said civilization is. Heavy on the rebukes and utter indictments of how we are a broken societal and political system is the M.O. here. So, they further separate themselves from the common death metal tropes of Satan, blood, gore, and murder. If ya ask me, the real-life musings are way scarier. “Unsettled Loss” is a highlight, as it deviates from the death-thrash and is more of a down-tuned Motörhead ripper, with Paul pontificating and angrily slobbering all over his mic with spoken parts, shouted vitriol, and plenty of cursing. “Within My Grasp” has an interesting lead-off guitar part that is dissonant yet intriguing before they double-kick the crap out of us with mid-paced plod, d-beat fury, and whammy-abusing leads. Another ear pleaser is the slower, almost doomesque mood “Dust's Arrival” sets before they wreck everything again. Closing things out with the near 6-minute (and strongest cut) “Let's Revoke” shows them bringing in a scathing main riff atop hardcore-infused drums and more trem-picked riffing all over the neck and rat-a-tat alliterative vocals. The chugging mid-section is as heavy a “breakdown” as you will hear this year as well.
Master are still out there, still as vital and aggressive, and absolutely methodical as ever. Quality songs that are written and arranged for maximum violence? Check. They do their own thing and ain't changing it for me, you, or anybody. Thank Lucifer for that, I say. Now, if you are ready for the musical equivalent of getting your nose bloodied repeatedly, then you cannot go wrong with the anachronistic weight of Among the Seeds of Death….
RIYL - (old) Death, Massacre, Venom, Motörhead, Autopsy, Repulsion, Obituary
~TB