The new wave of old school death metal has changed the sound of this genre to a new level. The good thing about these youthful bands, is that they don’t have a particular direction and the majority of them have drifted towards the classic style of death metal. The main influence of these bands comes straight from the U.S., Swedish or Finnish death metal scene. Which ultimately spread like an epidemic of a deathly plague in the early nineties. The evolution and the improvement in sound and efficiency from these rivals such as Tomb Mold, Hooded Menace, Skeletal Remains etc.. took death metal into a new phase by restoring a unique approach.

As a matter of fact death metal has also changed a lot from the general sound of the nineties era. The latest album by the German death metal quarter Carnal Tomb serves this example. Those who are familiar with the band’s first album “Rotten Remains” can notice many differences on the sophomore release. In this point of view Abhorrent Veneration is still an old school death metal record but the band took further steps towards creating a doomy vibe. And while moving away from the horror movie samples and the murky tone. Carnal Tomb seems to increase more value to the new tracks by enriching their tone with a raw and morbid atmosphere. And without neglecting the HM-2 effect you can hear clear influences from early Grave, and sense the raw material from Asphyx, Autopsy and Entombed. However Abhorrent Veneration isn’t a tribute album where the band honors the classic sound of old school death metal.

In more various ways Carnal Tomb have achieved in creating a morbid atmosphere by mixing death and doom metal in a compact sound. In this sense of characterization the first track Putrid Fumes begins with grisly chilling moments. When the grinding drums and raw guitar tone are backed by heavy death metal growls. Abhorrent Veneration is a crushing death metal record and the band shows a significant improvement in the guitar department where the change mostly comes in the face melting lead guitars and solos. With the slow guitar riffs creeping to create that morbid tone the growls sound rotten and fulfilling.

The main features on the album are accomplished by the eerie melodies, in fact these melodies are catchy but they don’t sound close the modern melodies. With harmonious and melodic parts which are used to enhance the tracks. Carnal Tomb has delivered a strong record and there is a prominent quality which gives the album more diversity. And rather than following the monotonous formula the album is brought by diversity of the tasty riffs. The guttural growls approach on Abhorrent Veneration is well fitted and adds that creepy aura. Cryptic Nebula carries on into the death/doom style by soaking the atmosphere into more gloomy effect. The riff work on the album mostly shows how the band has developed with lead guitars being the center of attention.

In spite of the raw and rotten riffs the band has achieved their musical memorability by focusing on these features. The power of HM-2 in possessing the raw tone on tracks like Amid the Graves and Dissonant Incubation shows how Carnal Tomb have strengthened their songwriting abilities. The debut album Rotten Remains probably lacked these features although the album was pretty much soaked with rotten riffs. There are certain qualities on the album that cannot be overlooked, in this sense the sophomore is more modified and reformed. As in whole the emphasis on the death/doom and old school fundamental sound has given the sophomore a multiple facets. Carnal Tomb evokes these morbid and distinctive gloomy moods throughout the album where the songs veer roughly towards the slow doom parts.

At some degree the flow of the melodies feels more limited due to the oppressive death/doom riffs. These riffs which mainly outlined the album but there are other reason why this album doesn’t feel like an ideal record. Maybe more qualities and flawless songwriting were somehow less attained. Abhorrent Veneration contains seven tracks and it’s pretty much rooted in the old school death metal style. With the closing unsteady track Sepulchral Descent the German quarter managed to keep the growing intensity of HM-2 guitars flow endlessly. The sophomore is a good mix of the semi death/doom style. The standard work of the album is very good and suitable for fans who like their music served with rotten riffs, guttural growls and grinding drums.

Release Date: July 26th, 2019
Label: Testimony Records
Track list:

1. Putrid Fumes
2. Abhorrent Veneration
3. Cryptic Nebula
4. Amid the Graves
5. Dissonant Incubation
6. Feeding Mold
7. Sepulchral Descent