Morbid Slaughter from Peru have been going since 2009 when front man Envenom decided it would be a good idea to channel his love for horror and witching metal. Joined here by Ripping Corpse (bass) and the charmingly named Necrophiliac Sodomizer (guitar), ‘A Filthy Orgy of Horror and Death’ represents the band’s debut album. Expanding on that earlier reference to witching metal, the band claims to mix Bathory, Hellhammer and old Mayhem specifically in their nightmarish vision. All of the above can indeed be detected across the album’s length but it would be inaccurate to say that all Morbid Slaughter is is a mere tribute act.
‘Cannibal Slaughter’ drags us in with murkiness a la Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. The vocals, surprisingly, are a wretched black metal drawl that blow pungent breaths all over the low-fi, punkish black metal. It’s a good combination of elements, and of immediate note are the constant, unavoidable cymbal crashes which enrich the repetitive riffs and drumbeats. Enforcing the band’s ’80s fixation, the opening chords of ‘Zombie Splatter Axe’ combine swagger with an ungodly fuzziness as further tribute to Tom G. Warrior’s pioneering style. While there’s nothing overtly pushing the boundaries within it all, Morbid Slaughter’s approach is undeniably head nodding fun as more evident rock ‘n’ roll overtones – in riffs, solos etc – infest the scene. It’s subsequently not as intense nor thrash as I may have imagined and definitely more about the groove and horror. That said, the faster primal stomp on tracks like ‘Chainsaw Blade’ does inject more intensity.
Even when the ante is upped however, it fails to detract from the music’s unconventional black metal bounciness. For me, the song which showcases the spectrum of Morbid Slaughter’s influences is a cover of GG Allin and The Murder Junkie’s ‘Fuck Off, We Murder’. In it, a semi-stoner vibe rubs shoulders with punk rock (back up shouts of “No!”), and black metal. They are a band who wear their influences on their sleeve and seemingly don’t give a shit about genre expectations. The unhinged breathing at the end of this track proves the highlight, although Envenom’s vocals are a cool contrast to metal norms throughout. As far as I’m concerned, there is one consistent musical thread for the album’s duration. From the slower doom of ‘Death’s Cold Blood’ – especially when feedback cuts through everything to announce the macabre solo – to the pounding assault of ‘Torture Without Anesthesia’, in which drums cavernously thud and riffs fly like a pack of ravenous dogs, that air of Swiss frost permeates all.
So, as I say, ‘A Filthy Orgy of Horror and Death’ is a clear example of early ’80s worship but with unexpected twists, from the aforementioned obscure black metal vocals to general rock overtones. The key word for this debut is ‘unconventional’, and it is basically a half-hour of well conceived dirty, rotten fun which oozes both charm and weirdness in equal measure. For all the simplicity and repetitiousness of their delivery, Morbid Slaughter have created a real grower of an album. Above all, it’s nice to hear a band who do their own thing in a unique way.
(8.5/10 Jamie)
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