Album Review – Retching / Charming the Decomposed (2025)

If you’re into Death Metal that’s heavy, catchy, and fun, but also not completely senseless, this American duo will make your day to the sound of their debut album.

Having found a way to present the gore-soaked, rotten, old school-inclined Death Metal sound that we all love with quality songwriting that elevates it beyond the nostalgic, aspiring bands of this ilk, Rhode Island, United States-based Death Metal duo Retching is unleashing upon humanity their depraved debut, beautifully entitled Charming the Decomposed. Displaying a gory artwork by Slimeweaver, the new offering by Mondo on “erotic moans and six string razor wire” (aka vocals and guitars), and Latex on “low end garrote and oil drums” (aka bass and drums) is highly recommended for fans of Broken Hope, Cannibal Corpse, Fulci, Undeath, Mortician, and Devourment, offering a much-desired dose of primal brutality while inviting listeners to keep coming back for more as the album offers more than just simplified caveman-mosh Death Metal savagery.

The wicked intro Moonlight Perversions, inspired by some of the weirdest things you can find in the United States, sets the tone for Gorging on Ecstacy, an explosion of classic Death Metal where the inhumane growling by Mondo is nicely complemented by Latex’s demented kitchen. The duo shows no mercy for our putrid bodies in Premature Decapitation, blasting an overdose of violence and gore through their incendiary riffs, blast beats and venomous guttural; and Latex continues to hammer his bass and drums in Shower Curtain Silhouette, crafting a reverberating sound that lives up to the legacy of Death Metal. and of course, a name like Foaming deserved the most destructive form of Death Metal imaginable, all boosted by the deranged roaring by Mondo.

Vulgar Celluloid Trophy is another song with a very peculiar name, with their heaviness and groove punching us mercilessly in the head; whereas Mondo keeps vociferating like a demonic entity in the also heavy-as-hell Septic Entombment, supported by the brutal bass and drums by Latex, highly inspired by 90’s Death Metal. Fetid Abattoir is by far the weakest of all songs, sounding a bit generic if compared to all devastation that happens throughout the rest of the album, and the fact it’s kind of an instrumental track doesn’t help either; and last but definitely not least, the duo gets back on track with the most destructive song of the album, entitled Mortuary of Desire, offering their trademark dirty riffs, crushing beats, and the always gruesome vociferations by Mondo until the very last second.

Assimilating influences from various Death Metal giants the likes of Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation, while at the same time attempting to go about creating something delectable and effective in their own way, Retching will crush your senses to the sound of Charming the Decomposed, available from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store, and you can also find more details about the duo on Instagram. Who knows, maybe we’ll see those guys take some stages by storm in their homeland soon. Put differently, if you’re into Death Metal that’s heavy, catchy, and fun, but also not completely senseless, Retching will certainly make your day to the sound of their demented debut album.

Best moments of the album: Premature Decapitation, Foaming and Mortuary of Desire.

Worst moments of the album: Fetid Abattoir.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Moonlight Perversions (Intro) 1:25
2. Gorging on Ecstacy 4:00
3. Premature Decapitation 3:35
4. Shower Curtain Silhouette 3:29
5. Foaming 4:28
6. Vulgar Celluloid Trophy 3:10
7. Septic Entombment 4:12
8. Fetid Abattoir 4:21
9. Mortuary of Desire 3:32

Band members
Mondo – vocals, guitars
Latex – bass, drums

Album Review – Disembodiment / Spiral Crypts (2025)

This Canadian Death Metal quartet is finally storming back into the scene with their debut full album, digging you deep into the most gruesome slasher experience your deviated mind has ever experienced.

Sherbrooke, Quebec’s own Death Metal quartet Disembodiment is finally storming back into the most rancid and filthiest Death Metal scene with their debut full album Spiral Crypts, four years after their acclaimed EP Mutated Chaos, and it was definitely worth the wait. Recorded at the band’s own rehearsal space (vocals and guitars) and at Studio C (bass, drums and additional guitar tracks), mixed by the band’s own guitarist Christian, mastered by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement, with a gory, sinister cover art by Slimeweaver (with additional artworks by draught__, and logo by the band’s drummer Eric), Spiral Crypts digs you deep into the worst and most gruesome slasher experience your deviated mind has ever experienced, all carefully brought into being by all four members of Canadian Death Metal band Oath Div. 666, those being Mathieu on vocals, Christian on the guitars, Carl on bass, and Eric on drums.

Like the soundtrack to a gory horror movie, the band will spread their metallic virus in Morbid Infestation, with Mathieu vomiting the song’s demented words accompanied by the caustic Death Metal riffs by Christian, followed by Stygian Overture, offering us all classic and gruesome Death Metal spearheaded by Eric’s unrelenting beats and fills, also presenting hints of Doom Metal to make things even more obscure. The title-track Spiral Crypts brings to our avid ears another round of heavy and visceral sounds by the band, with Christian’s riffage sounding truly vile; and Disembodiment then blasts a shorter Death Metal tune titled Putrification, with its three minutes bringing forward absolutely intense, unstoppable and thrilling violence.

Then a beyond cryptic, disturbing start gradually evolves into a massive wall of Death Metal thunder in Larval, slower than its predecessors yet just as pulverizing and grim, with Eric smashing his drums supported by Carl’s Stygian bass. Mathieu takes the lead once again with his deranged guttural in Infected To Rot, again delivering sheer insanity, with the low-tuned bass by Carl sending shivers down our spines; followed by Unknown Origins, two minutes of obscure, demonic sounds brought into being by those Canadian death metallers, before Sentient Inorganic Mess ends the album on a high note with the vile growls by Mathieu matching perfectly with Christian’s ruthless riffage.

In a nutshell, fans of the putrid, violent music blasted by some of the biggest names of the global Death Metal scene the likes of Incantation, Corpus Offal, Undergang, and Rottrevore will certainly enjoy what Disembodiment have to offer in Spiral Crypts, which is by the way available for purchase on BandCamp or via mailorder. You can also check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including their ruthless live concerts, and stream their wicked creations on Spotify or any other streaming service. Because life is most definitely not made of rainbows, unicorns and butterflies; quite the contrary, it’s a downward spiral filled with gore, violence and hatred, and the music by Disembodiment is perfect for opening your eyes to that harsh reality.

Best moments of the album: Stygian Overture, Putrification and Infected To Rot.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Morbid Infestation 6:04
2. Stygian Overture 5:04
3. Spiral Crypts 4:26
4. Putrification 3:02
5. Larval 4:44
6. Infected To Rot 3:45
7. Unknown Origins 1:52
8. Sentient Inorganic Mess 3:57

Band members
Mathieu – vocals
Christian – guitars, backing  vocals
Carl – bass, backing  vocals
Eric – drums

Guest musician
Frank Z. – intro on “Morbid Infestation”