Review by Jack on January 6, 2005.

No misinterpreting Defleshed’s Royal Straight Flesh... 30 minutes long, 11 songs (or ‘battle hymns’ as they refer to them), titles such as "Warborn" and "Blood Brigade": Fast and furious death metal.

I don’t think it crossed the collective mind of Defleshed to contemplate anything along the lines of easing their audience into the onslaught they are here to provide. Each of their ‘battle hymns’ are slick 2-3 minute numbers with the intention to deliver a visceral shot of death metal by any means possible. Guttural death roars, spine-splittingly catchy riffs (guaranteed to remove your ribcage) and deadly precision from the rhythm section make up each and every song.

As much as a good time Defleshed provide with Royal Straight Flesh it’s pretty difficult to discern the difference from one track to the next and the album comes across as one long track opposed to 11 different songs with their own identities. But this isn’t such a bad thing. A 30 minute death metal song with plenty of tempo changes and groove? I can surely deal with that.

There are no plush keyboards here. Defleshed have a forged an album that is aimed to inflict as much aural punishment as humanly possible, and they succeed.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Review by JD on May 2, 2015.

In looking through this batch of albums needing to be reviewed, I saw a few choice ones in the mix in front of me, then I came across one named Solace Of Requiem. Death metal is nothing new for me, but this is a trio that plays a melding of brutal technical death laced with this maelstrom of black metal as well… they got my attention.

Hailing from Virginia USA, this threesome brings a brutality rarely seen in a small band - yet, they succeed. Acid laced growls lead the charge of the buzzsaw guitars and thundering bass and drums like a battle flag, fitting for this act. With good chops and vision with the ear for doing things their own way, this band really has thrown their hats into the ring to declare themselves in the running for death metal gods.

I loved the straight ahead vibe the band has. One only has to hear either 'Casting Ruin' or 'Eroded Absolution' to hear the full power that the band unleashes. Some places come across as a bit muddy, but it seems to be like that. But for me, it was not necessary because of the explosion the band delivers. Beginning to end, it impressed me more than most releases so far this year.

Lately, I have been not listening to very much in the way of death metal but this was worth returning to it. It was a solid album with many original ideas running through every last second of the disk. That made me turn the album on again for a sixth go around so i suggest you go and buy your own, you’ll do the same damned thing.

Rating: 9 out of 10