Undecayed In Death's Image CD Review
Do you ever find yourself hearing a new band, or a new release and immediately get transported back to being a teenager and grinning like an idiot as you listen? Me too. Such is the case with Sweden's Undecayed and their debut, In Death's Image.
We are treated to 9 songs here, and this probably the only album to ever have the word “death” somewhere in each song title. The word death is actually sung in 19 different languages on one track. Sounds hokey at first, I get it. It's not though! After taking a deeper look, the band did this purposely and the lyrical themes paint a world set for total annihilation as “Death” has arrived on earth in physical form. This being is set to surpass any existence or concept of God, to wipe out all existence. Literally everything dies. No humans, no vegetation, no water. Hope for life? Not here, pal. While not a concept album by definition, they sure lean into an overall theme, and it is ferocious from beginning to end.
Musically this is the best parts of 90s brutal death metal. For chrissakes, the cover art was even done by underground stalwart Jon Zig. These songs are rife with blasts, tempo changes, slam inspired breakdowns, low/high contrasting vocals and tougher than a $2 steak. Elsewhere, there are slower melodic sections that would make early Pestilence proud, then they segue effortlessly into busy riffing and pinch harmonics, thrashy parts, it's got all the hallmarks of the old R/C bands while also adding their own unique spin to those sounds. Undecayed are NOT a nostalgia act. It is paramount to say that here, as some may be apt to write them off as such. To that I say don't. This is expertly produced thick and punchy brutality that offers some fun twists and turns to a tried and true formula. A veritable epoch of barbarity some might say…
Standout tracks - In Death's Image, The Greatest Death, The World Shall Only Know Death, Death’s Only Demand
RIYL - Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Internal Bleeding, Suffocation, Pestilence
~TB