Among the most anticipated releases of the year is the sophomore album ‘Excretion of Mortality‘ by Seattle death metal band Cerebral Rot. The album cover art somehow reminds me of eighties horror movie flicks. The kind of dread that surrounds the grotesque painting of dismembered limbs will make your stomach churn. Featuring members of Fetid and Caustic Wound: the quartet of Clyle Lindstrom (guitars), Ian Schwab (guitars, vocals), Drew O’Bryant (drums) and Zach Nehl (bass) spew a nauseating gunk of putrid death metal filth. After gaining status in the underground scene, the band brings various influences from the old school death metal archives, although it appears that Cerebral Rot refrains from presenting their workmanship as a replica of the U.S. death metal. Together with Washington-based death/doom group Mortiferum, they have emphasized the slow lumbering riffs of Finnish death/doom metal.

This is probably why their second outing which spans over forty-five minutes. In terms of technicality the guitar department showcases a unique fusion of rhythm and twisted lead guitars that fit a variety of templates, even though the latest effort isn’t necessarily a transformation in style. Cerebral Rot offers memorable riffs that swerve across mid-tempo riffs and pulverized drum paces to render an experience of the classic era of early death metal style. 

Cerebral Rot managed to raise the raw tonality and the guttural belches by boosting the songs with doom-laden riffs. With the gruesome growls engulfing the foul air with cannibalism, gore and sickness, the songs deliver an old-school slab of raw death metal. Between the unsettling tempos, the riffs have every intention of revving up the pace. The album opener ‘Excretion of Mortality‘ obtains its brutality from the caveman riffs and the abrupt shifts in the visceral drumming work. The seven tracks manifest the putrid style of the Finnish death metal of the early nineties presented by bands such as Purtenance, Convulse and Abhorrence. Another interesting facet is the remarkable inspiration of gore/grind, which raises the bar high on the new album. From the crushing tone of the drums on the following track ‘Vile Yolk of Contagion‘ the methodical riffing structure conveys rawness.

Filled to the brim with eerie lead guitar work and foul rhythm guitar the song oozes thick chunky riffs. ‘Excretion of Mortality‘ is soaked in the swampy models of old school death/doom metal that echoes with heavy guitar reverb. Unlike the debut album ‘Odious Descent into Decay‘, here the quartet found ways to accelerate the effect of the dynamics. ‘Spewing Purulence‘ infuses old-school grooves and putrefaction, giving the songs a distinctive sound of grimy guitar tones coated in thick riffs.

The guttural reverbs are mastered to perfection here. Cerebral Rot has made noteworthy adjustments to the songwriting although the album reeks of slimy, rotten riffs and slow cavernous doom tempos. There are some great segments of keyboards that evoke atmospheric dread on ‘Bowels of Decrepitude‘. The drums change direction veering towards pulverizing double bass and striking grooves launched by the guitars. This eclectic amalgamation of styles gives them a unique identity among the modern trend of U.S. death metal. ‘Excretion of Mortality‘ achieved a visceral level of songwriting where it builds onto the doom-laden riffs and shifts in the obscure putrefaction of old school death metal. 

The ultra-heavy guitars continue to foam on ‘Downed in Malodor‘. The track bursts into double bass convulsions and builds up to the trudging pace of the drums. Infused with the murky aura of death/doom metal the sophomore sees Cerebral Rot exploring the moldy atmosphere. Tracks like ‘Retching Innards‘ are filled with inharmonious riffs whereas the low guttural growls are somehow reminiscent of Demilich. The acute rawness of the guitars and the deep bass guitar chords creates dense layers with the slow creeping atmosphere of the album closure ‘Crowning the Disgustulent (Breed of Repugnance)’.

The lurching heaviness of the chunky riffs adds crushing brutality to the song as it builds up its demented framework. Through belching, low guttural growls and mid-tempo paced drums Cerebral Rot on the sophomore effort demonstrates sophisticated abilities and variations in the composition. ‘Excretion of Mortality‘ is drenched in the putrescence themes of gore and cannibalism. Highly recommended for fans of Carcass, Demilich and Purtenance.  

Release Date: June 25th, 2021
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Track list:

1. Excretion of Mortality
2. Vile Yolk of Contagion
3. Spewing Purulence
4. Bowels of Decrepitude
5. Drowned in Malodor
6. Retching Innards
7. Crowning the Disgustulent (Breed of Repugnance)