In the most recent edition of my Oodles of Brutals series, I proclaimed that Stages of Decomposition’s Piles of Rotting Flesh just might be the slam album to beat in 2014 based on the two teaser tracks that were available at the time. I’ve now had the pleasure of hearing the entire album thanks to our friends at Gore House Productions, and as a result I can officially say that my prediction was correct (how often does that happen?); the Los Angeles-based power trio have one hell of a debut full length on their hands. This ain’t no hyperbole kidz, this is a genuine example of a young band kicking open the gates and setting the bar.
By taking an oldschool approach to slamming brutal death metal, Stages of Decomposition do much to set themselves apart from the legions of contemporary bands that are content to slap three minutes of slams together and call it a song. Recalling the likes of Dying Fetus, Suffocation and early Internal Bleeding, it’s evident that the band is cognizant not only of the genre’s ability to get the pit started but of the emphasis placed on craftsmanship by its architects. The attack of tracks such as “Devoured and Defecated By Swine” and “Acid Bath Orgy” is a highly dynamic one, which makes all the difference in a genre often characterized by monotonous song structures and albums crippled by sameyness.
Indeed, by choosing not to let the conventions of what passes for slam these days limit their songwriting, the slams themselves are that much more devastating when Stages of Decomposition pump the breaks for some slow ‘n’ low brutalizing. The band isn’t afraid to mix things up in the tempo department and places strong emphasis on catchiness and groove whether they’re blasting away for all they’re worth or battering your ears with a stomping beatdown rhythm. The variation gives each song its own unique identity within the context of the album and keeps things engaging for the entirety of its thirty-four minute duration.
The individual performances on Piles of Rotting Flesh are each worthy of examining. Vocals are performed by bassist Salvador Rodriguez w/ backups from drummer Daniel Smoo, and it pleases me to no end that they don’t rely on pig squeals and instead employ a deeply guttural growl that’s more trad death metal and grindcore than anything else. This small detail gives the album more of that oldschool flavor and it’s great to see a band actually putting some thought into their throat-shredding. Smoo and Rodriguez also provide the album’s rhythmic backbone, and rest assured that it’s heavier than having cinder blocks stacked on your chest. Guitarist Cesar Barajas brings plenty of down-tuned, thick ‘n’ chunky riffage to the table, his bludgeoning, highly rhythmic playing style meshing perfectly with the bass and drums. Taken as a unit, there is a looseness to the three musicians’ playing that’s typically lacking in slam, bringing a human element to the music without forsaking any of the brutality.
Piles of Rotting Flesh also benefits from excellent production. Equal space is given to each instrument and the vocals sit perfectly in the mix without overpowering the music. It’s surprisingly organic-sounding as a whole, and Stages of Decomposition get extra points for not triggering the living shit out of the drums. Low-end is an essential quality for slam, and there’s no shortage of it here; the album is positively crushing yet retains the clarity necessary to allow all aspects of Stages of Decomposition’s hammering barrage to be heard and appreciated.
All in all, I can’t help but feel sorry for other brutal death metal bands putting out albums this year; they’re going to have a hard time equaling let alone topping what Stages of Decomposition have achieved with Piles of Rotting Flesh. If you’ve been turned off by slam in the past this could be a great gateway album, while genre aficionados will appreciate the craftsmanship and oldschool ethos. The album is available now on CD (jewel case and digipak) or as a digital download from the Gore House Bandcamp page.
http://gorehouse.bigcartel.com/
THKD 