Review by Nathan on February 21, 2020.

Ah, much better. While I can't say the intensity of Mors Verum is properly encapsulated in a live setting (yet), I do think that if you're just hearing them on record without knowing that they play without a drummer, you'll be less inclined to be turned off by the drum programming and all that. If you pay close attention you'll realize the drum hits all sound a little too similar to be human, but for the most part the drum has been written to at least sound like it would be possible for a human to play them. Since the main issue with Indoctrination Forest was the production values dragging down what were otherwise some really good ideas, the fuller sound that enables me to suspend my disbelief allows me to focus on the riffs more, which is fortunate, because oh my, what riffs they are!

There's even more ventures into strange, pinch harmonic appendages on each riff, adding a touch of mid-period Immolation to riffing with amorphous and unusual scales a la Deeds of Flesh or something along those lines. The riffs are at once catchy and maddening, twisting and turning you into confusion before punishing you with an awkward, abrasive groove. The guitarist is still stealing the show here, and he's spiced up his palate even more from the previous Mors Verum release. It's worth noting that the guitarist also plays drums in a death/doom band (Ischemic), which is probably what is informing the quality of the programmed beats on here. He knows exactly what he wants it to sound like, he just can't play it himself (he's told me as much in person, anyhow). The beats shift between rapid fire blasting mixed with intricate fills, with the low rumble of the double kick being mixed well and the snare not sounding exceptionally inhuman this time around. There's also occasional forays into subtler, more atmospheric territory like "Impaled by Shadows" that work incredibly well.

It's very rare that you hear a local band attempting this sort of chaotic, multi-pronged sound, because if we're being honest not many musicians have the pedigree to pull this kind of thing off. The band could still absolutely benefit from a fuller lineup, especially in the live arena, but the fact of the matter is this blows most local death metal out of the water and has the riffing chops to have with some of the more known names in modern death metal. Somebody in the Southwest Ontario area who can play bass or drum get at these guys, because Deranged has a boatload of riffing potential and just needs that little extra push before these guys start getting namedropped alongside Tomb Mold as the premier export of Toronto death metal.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10