SEEN AND HEARD: MORBID FLESH, WARPSTONE, FUOCO FATUO

Still catching up on new music I missed over the last couple of days, I’ve compiled this collection of new songs by three European bands that I recommend highly.

MORBID FLESH

I make no secret of the fact that I have a quivering weakness for old-school, reeking-corpse death metal. It’s a genre in which I expect no molds to be broken, but I do want the right spirit and the right flair — faithfulness without tedium. Morbid Flesh from Barcelona, Spain, definitely meet those expectations.

They’ve recorded a new EP under the title Embedded In the Ossuary, which is scheduled for release on March 31 through Germany’s Unholy Prophecies. It caught my eye because of the wonderful cover art (above) by Javi Castaño and because it was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Javi Bastard of Spain’s Graveyard, and he knows a thing or two about old school death metal (Graveyard’s Jordi Gusi is also a member of Morbid Flesh). Recently, Unholy Prophecies began streaming a Morbid Flesh track named “Charnel House”, and I listened to it this morning.

It’s a galloping zombie steed of grinding tremolo riffs, writhing solos, and raw, wretched vocals. It captures the proper spirit of decay and horror — but it also includes an almost cinematic interlude of epic proportions that I didn’t see coming. Very nice. Listen next.

http://unholyprophecies.bandcamp.com/album/embedded-in-the-ossuary-cd
https://www.facebook.com/MorbidFlesh

 

WARPSTONE

Not very long ago I featured the fantastic cover painting by Paolo Girardi for Warpstone’s forthcoming second album, Into the Phantasmancer Celestial Castle, and three impressive songs from the new album that had appeared on Bandcamp. As reported then, Warpstone have begun a crowd-funding campaign to raise money for making CD versions of the album. (To contribute, go here; people who pledge  5 Euro or more will receive a download code for a digital copy of the album upon successful completion of the funding campaign in about 45 days.)

Because the crowdfunding campaign has been making good progress, Warpstone have now uploaded yet another new track from the album, and it’s another strong offering. “Graveyard Addicted” is a head-spinning swarm of jangling riffs, rambunctious drumwork, melodic hooks, and gravelly bass lines — plus a dizzying array of vocal styles. These Frenchmen truly are a force to be reckoned with. Check out the newest track below.

http://warpstone.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-phantasmancer-celestial-castle
https://www.facebook.com/Warpstone.Official

 

 

 

FUOCO FATUO

Fuoco Fatuo are an Italian band whose debut album The Viper Slithers in the Ashes of What Remains will be released this month by Iron Tyrant. Today, Noisey premiered one of the new songs, entitled “Eternal Transcendence into Nothingness.” I confess that I was drawn to the music, as often happens, by the superb cover art created by View From The Coffin (above). But that song then clamped down on me with a grip of steel.

It’s a 12-minute behemoth of groaning, funereal doom/death. You want sludgy, earth-splitting chords that will vibrate your bones? You want sodden melodies that will turn your flesh cold? You want the rumble of double-bass and the the vibratory intrusions of infected tremolo picking? You want cavernous vox that sound like they were recorded in an ossuary? You want a thick atmosphere of poisonous fog and lost souls? Well, of course you do. And that’s what you’re about to get.

P.S. After finishing what I wrote above I discovered that the entire album is now streaming on Bandcamp via the link I’ve added below.

http://fuocofatuo.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/FUOCO-FATUO/117222268381764