Review by Carl on July 8, 2023.

On Metal Archives there is a feature that allows you to search for part of a band name. Type the part you're interested in and use an asterisk to substitute the rest. Why this info, you might ask yourself? Well, I did that with *ectomy, just out of curiosity. It got 85 hits. You still wondering why I am telling you this? Because a review needs an introduction, dammit! So start reading it!!

Dysmorfectomy is a one person undertaking from France, and this is the third full length in three years time from the man. Talk about being inspired, I say. Because I only know this release and the one that preceded it, I can't tell you a whole lot about any evolution between albums, but judging from what I hear on this one, I have a feeling this dude has found his niche alright.

Dysmorfectomy deal in brutal death metal with a slight technical edge to it. It certainly checks all the boxes you'd expect, from the grinding ferocity to the pummeling slams and the guttural vocals, it's all here. The execution is a good deal above decent, and the guitar work is a bit more riff-orientated than what I am used to in the genre. The influence of acts like Putrid Pile, Kraanium, Devourment , Korpse and Abominable Putridity is pretty obvious, giving me the feeling like I heard this all before, a lot, but the proficient playing is definitely a plus here. Blessed with a production that sounds massive and clear (perhaps a bit too clean for me, I'll admit), this should not have any problem delivering the brutal deathbanger his necessary hit. It's all pretty much by the book, but the precise execution and pummeling brutality make up for that, no sweat.

There are a couple of things that rubbed me the wrong way, though. The most glaring was the sound of the drum machine here and there. It has to be said that it is programmed adequately and I've heard way, way worse sounding devices before, but in the slower parts the snare has this frying pan clonking sound to it that got on my nerves when I noticed it. Peculiar was also the intro that feels more like a snippet of a song, and the odd creaking door sample at the start of 'Mind Extinction' sounds funny to me, I can't explain why. That being said, this is still a pretty bangin' brutal death release in my book!

This is music for the brutal death metal fiend out there, waiting for another fix of slamming brutality. It may be a bit by the book, but the excellent playing and bulging ferocity this exudes more than makes this an effort well worth the time!

Rating: 7.5 out of 10