Review by Carl on January 9, 2021.

At the time of writing (March 2020), I'm in isolation in my house because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No joke. To keep myself busy, I'm filling my days with writing reviews and playing albums from my collection that I haven't heard in quite a while. It was while scanning the shelves for what to put on next that I noticed this Morbosidad cd titled Corona De Epidemia. How delightfully appropriate.

These past years have seen members of Oath of Cruelty, P.L.F., Obeisance and Blaspherian (among many others) passing through the ranks but I haven't got the idea that had much of an impact on the sound. Morbosidad still churn out fast and barbaric black/death metal that doesn't dabble in melody or technicality a whole lot and right so. This stuff is not for the weak of heart and must sound like the sonic equivalent of finding a pissed off feral racoon in your garbage can. Dangerous, filthy and sick. The band is charging ahead at high velocity most of the time, with only now and then stepping on the brakes. And in the middle of the ongoing sonic obliteration there's vocalist Thomas Stench, barking his profane hatred for all that is holy like a raging lunatic. The band charge ahead in the tradition of Black Witchery, Necroholocaust and Trench Warfare and they do it with gusto. Just like they've been doing for years.

It's everything you've come to expect from Morbosidad, savage metal with blasphemous lyrics played with huge amounts of violent determination. But the thing is that you can say that about any other of their releases and maybe that's the reason why this particular one doesn't spark me as much as their earlier work. This is by no means a bad album, it's got everything I wanna hear from this infernal horde but perhaps I just got used to the intensity of their attack.

I guess it's one of those albums to put on when you've got nothing special to do and have gotten tired of your usual listening habits. Like when you're in quarantine and aren't allowed to leave the house, for instance.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Alex on September 27, 2019.

Sweden’s own Dödfödd have declared their evil presence in 2019 with a new release set to chase the light from all corners; Stigma. I remember hearing Reverorum ib Malacht’s "Im Ra Distare Summum Soveris Seris Vas Innoble" a few months prior to discovering Dödfödd; that record is one of the most exhilarating, twisted, Avant Garde pieces of black metal I have ever heard. Though controversial the labeling of the band as ‘black metal’ may be, given their Catholic beliefs, which are very much a part of their scriptures and more-so, their De Mysteriis Dom Christi series that appeared to have angered many a black metal folk at the time of its release. "Im Ra Distare Summum Soveris Seris Vas Innoble" cannot go without being regarded as one of the most maleficent and fucked up records to have blossomed within the genre’s shadow. The level of madness and intensity occurring on that release is mind-boggling, truly a very dark and terrifying composition. It’s the only other record to scare the shit out of me since Mitochondrion’s "Archaeaeon" and "Parasignosis". Now cast before the listener is another body of unorthodox mastery, to the idea of black metal, this time finding province under Dödfödd.

Formed in 2001 but have only now made an attempt at a full length following a slew of demos, Dödfödd take the listener down a dark and unpleasant journey by means of droning, ambient noises and otherworldly chants and voices. One thing I admire about the music of Dödfödd on Stigmata is their non-conventional approach. Most of what you will hear is unpredictable at first listen and even after catching the flow of the music there still is so much more happening under the veil of their adversarial compositions that remains to be touched. Stigmata is not a record for the average listener of metal, you can’t bargain with it or make compromises, either you enjoy what is being gifted or you don’t. Despite possessing a clear sense of audibility, the music itself will come as a turnoff to many spoiled by riffs, not exempting myself from that group; however, I believe originality is key in this genre of facsimile identities and when done in such a cryptic, unorthodox, though rewarding manner, it calls for acclaim. The droning noises, very low-fi drumming, troubled vocal chords and untraceable musical patterns hold fast to the idea of idiosyncratic expressions.

As a reiteration, Stigmata is not a record you can condition yourself to enjoy. What you’re hearing is a firm stance taken by the band members to create music that goes against the habitual majority, although you would find similarities to other efforts by other bands, even then Dödfödd’s craft has the members’ identifiable signature and even more “scorn” for the black metal scene. You can find out more about this ‘scorn’ if you take the time to look up an interview titled "Gloria in Excelsis: A Conversation with Reverorum ib Malacht"; that among many other things are brought to the forefront for circumspection during that chat. Many may argue whether or not what is being played is even that of the genre, though debatable, no less credit must be bestowed upon the members for bringing us the true face of Christianity, that which has hidden and continues to hide behind the veil of expensive, fancy architecture and more so the blind and ignorant. Hence, the evil here is very much present, thus Dödfödd’s move to highlight such is very much welcome.

Rating: 7 out of 10