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Album Review – Stages of Decomposition / Raptures of Psychopathy (2024)

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This Los Angeles-based Brutal Death Metal outfit will crush you with their sophomore opus, an eleven-track beast that delves into the disturbed minds of those falling into psychopathic tendencies.

Known for their massive and impactful delivery of extreme brutality, Los Angeles, California-based Brutal Death Metal band Stages of Decomposition is unleashing upon humanity their highly anticipated sophomore studio offering, titled Raptures of Psychopathy, threatening to burrow into your brain like a death metal worm and liquefy it with brutal riffs, chaotic blast beats and adrenaline-invoking time signatures that convey the terror and psychological aspects of the stories told. Recorded by the band’s own guitarist Marco Aromatario, mixed and mastered by Manuel Acevedo at Beatcrusher Recording Studio, and displaying a horror-fueled artwork by Tony Cosgrove (with design by Sidjimbe Art), the album is an eleven-track beast that delves into the disturbed minds of those falling into psychopathic tendencies, with each song encapsulating the murderous essence of true crime, drawing inspiration from infamous figures like Vaughn Greenwood, Richard Ramirez, Jeffrey Dahmer, and more, all brought into being by Salvador Rodriguez on vocals and bass, Cesar Barajas and Marco Aromatario on the guitars, and Daniel Smoo on drums, highly influenced by the raw intensity of Dying Fetus, the brutality of Suffocation, and the slam-infused chaos of Kraanium.

Offering a glimpse inside the mind of Jeffrey Dahmer, the opening tune Drilling of the Cerebellum presents an initial narration full of gore and horror that evolves into a feast of bestiality led by the demented drumming by Daniel, kicking off the album on a beyond violent mode; and Cesar and Marco show no mercy for their stringed axes, extracting bloodthirsty riffs in What Lies Within while Salvador barks and roars like a maniac nonstop. And Salvador continues to haunt our souls with his avalanche of “bree breee breeeeees” in Beast of Jersey, while his bandmates make sure the atmosphere remains as gory and visceral as possible in a fun and vibrant onrush of Brutal Death Metal. Then we have Killing Under Possession, sounding absolutely infernal from the very first second, with Daniel sounding inhumane behind his drums, therefore inviting us all to slam like true metalmaniacs inside a blood-drenched circle pit; whereas there’s not a single second to breathe as Stages of Decomposition will mercilessly bludgeon your cranial skull to pieces in Murder by Proxy, again showcasing the slashing riffage by Cesar and Marco.

Skid Row Slasher is another headbanging extravaganza spearheaded by the deep, visceral roars and barks by Salvador, who also makes sure the earth trembles armed with his rumbling bass, and just when you think the quartet couldn’t sound more demented they will decimate your senses with Carve Out the Eyes, a fast and no shenanigans Brutal Death Metal assault that should sound amazing if played live. After such demonic onrush, the band adds elements from the Thrash Metal played by Slayer to their core Death Metal, resulting in a high-octane, mosh pit party titled Fetal Devourment, with Daniel once again stealing the spotlight with his pulverizing beats and fills; whereas Crawl Space Burial is a solid creation by the band where Salvador keeps vociferating like a rabid beast in the name of gore and extreme music. Then enhancing their animosity to a whole new level we have Human Extermination, a well-balanced, demonic fusion of classic Death Metal with Brutal Death Metal, followed by Mass Psychosis, offering us all two intense minutes of evil Death Metal for our vulgar delectation, hammering our souls with their crushing drums, venomous riffs and the always vile guttural by Salvador until the very last second.

Get ready to be swept away by the savage and brutal Death Metal blasted by Stages of Decomposition in their new album, available for purchase by clicking HERE (and for streaming on YouTube and on Spotify), delivering an onslaught of ferocious guitar work, pounding drums, and guttural vocals, creating an atmosphere of unbridled aggression, and you can also show your support to their undisputed violence by also following the band on Facebook and on Instagram. The band’s brand new opus of real-life horror-infused Brutal Death Metal will be the perfect soundtrack for your lone night walks through desert streets and obscure alleys, but I’m pretty sure if you’re listening to it at top volume or sporting a Stages of Decomposition shirt you’ll be one hundred percent  safe, as no serial killer will dare to attack you after noticing your amazing taste in music.

Best moments of the album: Drilling of the Cerebellum, Carve Out the Eyes and Fetal Devourment.

Worst moments of the album: Crawl Space Burial.

Released in 2024 Gore House Productions

Track listing
1. Drilling of the Cerebellum 4:59
2. What Lies Within 3:10
3. Beast of Jersey 2:42
4. Killing Under Possession 3:36
5. Murder by Proxy 3:26
6. Skid Row Slasher 3:36
7. Carve Out the Eyes 2:37
8. Fetal Devourment 3:04
9. Crawl Space Burial 3:12
10. Human Extermination 3:46
11. Mass Psychosis 2:09

Band members
Salvador Rodriguez – vocals, bass
Cesar Barajas – guitar
Marco Aromatario – guitar
Daniel Smoo – drums

Album Review – Defechate / Unbounded (2022)

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The experiences and new ideas of a ruthless Death Metal duo from Italy pushed inside an infernal musical grinder, highlighting some aspects of the evil inherent in humans.

Playing Death Metal with feet sunk in the old school domain with the gaze turned to their own influences, the ruthless Italian entity that goes by the name of Defechate is unleashing hell in the form of their first full-length opus, entitled Unbounded. Recorded and mixed at Perish Studios, mastered at Netherworld Studio, and featuring a sick artwork by Sidjimbe Art, Unbounded collects the experiences and new ideas of vocalist and bassist Giuseppe Tatangelo (Antipathic, Glacial Fear, Throne of Flesh, Unscriptural, Zora) and guitarist Luke Scurb (Humangled, Suture Messiah), and pushes everything inside an infernal musical grinder, highlighting some aspects of the evil inherent in humans and, therefore, turning the album into a great alternative for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Autopsy, Entombed, Vomitory and Obituary who also nurture a deep passion for the underground scene.

Luke’s sinister riffs ignite the brutal Hyperammonaemic, featuring a guitar solo by guest Federico Fulceri (4-Dimensional Rage, Exence), with Giuseppe barking like a rabid dog in a Brutal Slammin’ Death Metal feast for the masses; and more of the visceral roars by Giuseppe accompanied by his own low-tuned, rumbling bass are the main ingredients in Naked Thoughts, with Luke slashing his stringed axe nonstop. Then enhancing the progressiveness and dementia in their core sonority it’s time for the duo to hammer our heads with Burning Like The Water, with guest drummer Nephros dictating the song’s infernal pace, whereas putting the pedal to the metal they deliver a sonic attack entitled Unexpected Denier, where the strident riffage by Luke walks hand in hand with the vicious bass punches by Giuseppe. Then featuring guests Fred Valdaster (Humangled) on drums and Paolo Olivier on the guitar, Giuseppe fires Stygian bass lines in the massive, violent Repent To The Dead, keeping the album at a humungous level of insanity.

Oxydized Man is another infernal extravaganza by the duo showcasing their trademark guttural gnarls and demented Death Metal riffs. It lacks an extra kick, though, but it’s still heavy and obscure. Then wicked voices and gruesome vociferations kick off the Death Metal feast Epicurean Herd, once again presenting the duo’s demented but at the same time progressive sounds, with Giuseppe sounding possessed on vocals; whereas investing in a more direct, no-shenanigans sonority the duo brings forward the vicious The Unbound Storm, where Giuseppe is on fire with both his deep growls and metallic bass lines, followed by Just Falling Leaves, a lecture in Brutal Death Metal by Defechate where Luke is absolutely infernal with his sick riffs, inviting us all to slam into the pit like true metalmaniacs while sounding pulverizing and dense from start to finish. Lastly, there’s fuel for one final deranged attack by Defechate titled II Signore Del Disordine, bringing forward an awesome job done by both Giuseppe and Luke with their sonic weapons, therefore providing Giuseppe with all he needs to vomit the song’s acid words.

The insanity and heaviness found in Unbounded can be appreciated in full on Spotify, but of course in order to support the underground and keep the fires of Death Metal burning you should definitely purchase the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, from Apple Music, from Amazon or from Discogs, and don’t forget to also follow Giuseppe and Luke on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube. As aforementioned, the musical grinder by such demented Italian duo is working at full speed crushing everything and everyone that crosses their path just the way we like it in Death Metal, with Unbounded being just the first step in their path of devastation.

Best moments of the album: Unexpected Denier, Just Falling Leaves and II Signore Del Disordine.

Worst moments of the album: Oxydized Man.

Released in 2022 Great Dane Records

Track listing
1. Hyperammonaemic 3:15
2. Naked Thoughts 2:56
3. Burning Like The Water 3:40
4. Unexpected Denier 3:47
5. Repent To The Dead 3:32
6. Oxydized Man 3:27
7. Epicurean Herd 3:16
8. The Unbound Storm 3:20
9. Just Falling Leaves 3:44
10. II Signore Del Disordine 3:20

Band members
Giuseppe Tatangelo – vocals, bass
Luke Scurb – guitars, synthesizer

Guest musicians
Fred Valdaster – drums on “Repent To The Dead”
Federico Fulceri – guitar solo on “Hyperammonaemic”
Paolo Olivier – additional guitars on “Repent To The Dead”
Nephros – drums on “Burning Like The Water”