Death Metal right now is probably one of the most interesting genres out there and I don’t just mean within the confines of Metal. I feel like the genre has grown to a stage whereby there are so many different sub-genres that there has to be something for everyone. There are even divisions in the scene down to the smallest discrepancy. Take for example the debates over ‘true Slam’ or the headbutting of Tech Death and modern OSDM, it’s crazy. As someone who enjoys it all I love to watch it unfold and the more extreme the genres branches become the more I embrace them.

Today we speak of the newly formed Portuguese Death Metal trio Innards. Founded and indeed fronted by the ex-Grog member Hugo Andremon the band aim to take Death Metal back to its roots. Gritty, nasty, and without any sort of cares for the finer points. Yet this statement is a lot to live up to, and with so many bands out there paving the way for a new world of Death Metal can this debut EP, Back From The Grave, Straight In Your Face from Transcending Obscurity Records make that much of an impact?

With a brief horror sampled intro {from The Evil Dead ED} Night Of The Anthropophagous begins the little EP. Classic OSDM flavour that sets things off to a good start. The guitars are somewhat Thrash rooted with nods to Carcass in their tone. Vocally the EP takes on the embodiment of early Goregrind such as Impetigo and Repulsion. It mixes rasps with more guttural tones to create something pretty exciting. The second track Enlightenment Through Hate is perhaps the bands most bombastic. It features guest vocals from the legendary Kam Lee of Massacre fame and guest guitar solos from Frank Blackfire of Sodom, overall a pretty strong track but nothing that is overtly gripping. Finally comes The Fog and seeing as this EP promises so much it becomes apparent here that it doesn’t fully deliver. It isn’t bad but it certainly isn’t anything particularly new.

Whilst worship is something we all love, this is a bit like worship with no further substance and comes across as very ‘Death Metal by numbers’. I don’t hate it at all but it’s just okay. I wouldn’t be rushing out to tell everyone about Innards but equally I would happily watch them at a live show and no doubt enjoy them. There is promise here for some bigger and better things however, I really like the horror infused ideals that the band project and the guest appearances are a nice touch too. I’m also a pretty big fan of the vocals on this EP. So truth be told I won’t rule Innards out, I’m at least a little interested.

(7/10 George Caley)

https://www.facebook.com/Innards.DeathMetal.PT

https://innardsdeath.bandcamp.com/album/back-from-the-grave-straight-in-your-face-death-metal