Ripping Remains Necrodestiny Review

Ripping Remains

Necrodestiny

Satanik Royalty Records

2025

There's something in the water in Oregon lately. I've been greeted with a slew of quality material from that state since I jumped back into being a humble scribe here at BAP, and Ripping Remains are no exception. Rising from the cauterized and smoldering corpse of Pacific Northwest death metal stalwarts Dripping Decay, they are set to lay waste to everything in their path on their debut EP Necrodestiny.

Returning from Dripping Decay is vocalist/guitarist Eric Stucke. He's taken up the frontman mantle here with conviction, a deep pronounced growl, and blackened screams. His songwriting is a mixed bag of hook-laden riffs, grinding brutality, and memorably infectious moments. Also, along for the ride is his Decay bandmate, drummer Jason “The Machine” Norton, whose tight, precise, and extreme playing ability has seen him as a touring member of Jungle Rot, Ripped to Shreds, and Skeletal Remains. Rounding out the lineup is Satanik Royalty Records founder Michael “Frei” Freiburger, who also provides face-melting background vocals and bass. Necrodestiny was recorded by Derek Leisy, mixed by Greg Wilkenson, and mastered by Dan Lowndes. The production is a nasty, bottom-heavy affair with HM-2-derived guitars, punchy drumming, and thudding bass sure to please fans of the death/grind classics of old.

Four songs and an intro are all Ripping Remains needed here to state their case. We begin with the near two-minute soundscape/intro “Carbonized Effuvium,” which has spooky, eerie atmospheric keyboards straight out of an Argento film. From there, track two (the title track) spews forth with intensity, speed, and dexterous, almost thrashy rhythms, and straight-up pummels for just over three minutes. Next up we have “The Horror Writes Itself,” which is more of the same feel, but also adds in a stomping mid-paced breakdown here and there and Rick Rozz-like, whammy-addicted, reverb-washed leads. The family-friendly titled “Rub My Infection on You” follows with more blazing speed, some snaking riffing, and chugging gallops. The vocal approach is a bit more varied here too, with black metal shrieks punctuating the guttural renderings. The closer “Maternal Rot” caps things off with a slowed-down, death/doom pace before settling into a headbanging verse section that utilizes trilling riffs and middle-of-the-road plodding tempos before breaking into d-beat sections and more lead guitar. This is the longest track at just over five minutes, and it's also my favorite.

Ripping Remains are an informed, quality song-crafting bunch. Their horror-themed, death-grinding insanity will surely take those of us who remember the nascent days of Razorback Records, Impetigo, and early 90’s classics like Necrology back, and leave us fondly remembering those gory days. They not only keep their past alive in remembrance, but also add fresh elements to create a bloody, disgusting rebirth. I'm all for it. This one, while an intense, raw, and undeniably brutish carcass of OSDM and grindcore, was a pleasant surprise. Rip on, gentlemen.



RIYL: Repulsion, Exhumed, Terrorizer, Nausea

~TB