Review by Nekrist on April 17, 2024.

Talking about Lord Mantis is not easy at all, since we are in the presence of one of the most powerful, dark and surprising extreme metal bands in the world, and this album titled Pervertor is its Magnum Opus.

Before talking about the music in question I would like to first dissect the style of metal that is attributed to this band, so that we can understand, reflect and have the points of reference that will help us understand very lightly the kind of sonic assault that We are about to suffer. “Blackened sludge metal”, what is it? An abominable amalgam of doom, hardcore punk and black metal that simply will not leave anyone who considers themselves a fan or follower of extreme music indifferent. Now getting into the matter, Pervertor is an album that must be heard to be believed. The band never stops surprising us with every small detail, every note, every hit that the drums suffer, etc. Everything is perfectly and coldly calculated, nothing is left over and is designed to add layers of complexity to the music. How would you describe the sonic mass that is strong>Pervertor? Like a caustic storm in which sharp blades cut our skin while we writhe in pain with the acid rain that bathes our wounds. It is incredible how the album anthemically captures us with a supernatural energy that never ceases to surprise with riffs taken from some nightmare. Undreamtsome, vocals that seem to be spit by a diabolical crow that announces an imminent apocalypse, some ambient synth arrangements that provide ominous textures in some parts of the album and a sublime drum performance, pulsating and crawling, that feels as if we were absorbed by an infernal vortex that destroys every particle of our body and soul.

The atmosphere is heavy and slow, although the album speeds up its pace at certain points of the album, helping the slow parts to be more devastating and the fast parts to be a real adrenaline rush. A clear example of this is the song 'At The Mouth', here we are clearly presented with what this album is, sinister melodies woven through an execution on guitars from beyond the grave while the keyboards give a touch of necro-symphony to the song, but when you think that the torture has suddenly ended, the band puts on the handbrake and crushes us with a “breakdown” that left me speechless. It is impressive to see how the band uses such unorthodox arrangements and techniques that make the music very strange and bizarre at times, rhythmically sampled voices, guitar strums and drum hits that make us feel like a cannibal tribe dances in front of us singing in a strange language while we know that we will be their lunch and that there is no way to escape or speak to those maniacs.

Another of my songs that I want to highlight is 'Vile Divinity'. Oh my God! Here the vocal presentation is devastating, both vocalists intertwine their screams to create quite “groovies” and memorable vocal lines, that is what surprises the most about this album. How can something so extreme and ruthless be so addictive at the same time?

In conclusion, I 100% recommend anyone who considers themselves a true fan of extreme metal to live the experience of listening to strong>Pervertor, because yes, this album is an entity on its own, a vile homunculus that was born channeling through some extraordinary musicians. An absolute 10.

Rating: 10 out of 10