Review by Maverick on January 29, 2024.

Sometimes it is tiresome when one wants to find some decent death metal, you know, something that isn't Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Suffocation, or any of the household names. This is exactly what this offering is, a solid lineup of some good death metal. Here are at least some reasons why one should consider listening to this album.

This release is full of traditional death metal riffing, but it is compartmentalized in a modern metal way, which means pretty good quality production. It utilizes a lot of technical-melodic death-type instrumentation for the most part, but where it does align with Cannibal Corpse-esque riffing, it does not resemble the thrashy type guitar work that one would find in traditional death metal, at least not in this release. This can easily be seen in songs like 'The One With The Hooks', which starts with technical-melodic riffing, and then harmonizes with more traditional death metal rhythm guitar works. The timing in this album is on par, very technical "mathy" time signatures are littered throughout, and no instrument overpowers the other. It's pretty rad when you consider that it's a recent release. The problem with many death metal bands, or even deathcore bands is they sometimes bite off too much that they cannot chew or simply alternate carelessly between riffs that are more fitting for sloppy experimental albums. There is no experimentation in this release that overpowers the listener, rather there's a careful interchange in riffing.

Vocally, the album is pretty standard. Death growls that move between deep guttural vocals, and high-pitched screams. The velocity and speed resemble brutal death/grindcore-type vocal ranges but deliver in a way that is not too cumbersome or all over the place. The vocal part of this album makes me stay clear from giving this a perfect score since it moves too much in a predictable way, but the integrity of the whole album is cohesive enough to make me conclude that it is worth listening to. 'Bellem' was probably the best song that delivered the most appropriate vocal delivery, as to 'Mist And Darkness' sounded too much like a move in the direction of slam-death. There was something about the song that just seemed unnecessary in that regard.

Finally, this album was not bad but a solid piece of death metal that has been done right for the most part.

For fans of Decrepit Birth, Suffocation, Necrophagist and Cannibal Corpse.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Michael on November 10, 2022.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark! The guys don't sound all that technical anymore like on their debut A Serenade Of Agony but more like old Edge Of Sanity. Well, for all of you who know some things about the band it wouldn't be much of a surprise that Dan Swanö (aka Day Disyraah) did the vocals on the debut album. The debut which became 30 this year in October. On It Never Ends… Dan did all the vocals and on the title track and on 'Tender Twigs Of Innocnece' you can also hear their regular vocalist Jan Bergmann Jepsenon. Dan told me that he wanted to do some more vocals again but I hadn't expected it that quick. It was a bit surprising but having him do it was a great choice I think.

Starting off with some blood-freezing piano sounds that don't let you expect anything good, the old school death metal inferno takes its relentless course. Buzzing, grinding guitars with thunderous drums that pummel down everything in its way blast the listener straight to the wall. Dan vocals sound as powerful and voluminous as 25 -30 years ago when Edge Of Sanity released their classics. I have to say that he sounds really pissed off and very aggressive and that this is one of the best vocal performances I have heard from him in the last few years. Of course Maceration isn't an EOS copy, the focus is much more on pure death metal without these experiments that EOS did. Melodies aren't in the foreground, it is much more sheer horror, brutality and heaviness that the Danes want to spread with their music. What is quite remarkable, too, is that there are only a few guitar solos which have a lot of old Morbid Angel vibes in the songs. The tracks show that Maceration is a well-oiled killing machine where everything works together very well. The tempo in all the tracks is pretty fast and only drops for some gloomy atmospheric parts.

Of course Maceration doesn't reinvent neither death metal nor do they have some innovations in their songs but that is not necessary. Driving HM-2 sound with a lot of blast beats keep hitting you straight in your face again and again. Songs like 'It Never Ends…' with one of these sick guitar solos and bonesawing riffing or the opener 'Lost In Depravity' with its uneasy atmosphere are brilliant old school death metal that won't leave any death metal maniac unsatisfied. 'Monolith Of The Cursed' is a worthy (short) closer of the album with all death metal trademarks you want to hear. The production, mastering and mixing was done by Dan Swanö himself at his Unisound Studio and when you know how he works you can be sure that this one is absolutely flawless.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Monoliths