Vastum - "Carnal Law" (2011) [20 Buck Spin]

It makes me very happy to see new bands coming around and playing real death metal these days. Death metal that is nasty, raw and above all, EVIL. While I am not one to enjoy 'throwback' or 'retro' acts, it is welcoming to have people interested in performing sounds closely resembling the glory days of death. I have been fortunate enough in my residency at ye ol' Inarguable to recieve quite a few slabs of incredibly awesome death metal over the past year or so. Vastum is yet another album of old-school death, played by younger folk, that has made me an extremely happy listener.

Vastum's sound is somewhere in between the bludgeoning attack of Bolt Thrower, early Entombed and Autopsy. Crushing and dismal, all things death resound in the newest release from Vastum, Carnal Law. Fuzzy and brutal guitar riffing, a hoarsely dry death grunt, plodding drums and a thick, yet dirty production make the songs stand out and heads bang. Most of the material is mid-paced to slow style death, concentrating on ominous, creeping atmosphere, instead of rapid-fire head cuttery.

There are moments on this album that almost make me feel as though I am witnessing the end of existence; no hope, just pure death and torment for all alive. In essence, the way that death metal is supposed to be. No moments of relief or hope, just the complete end of all. Vastum is your gateway to death, embrace it.


-E.