Review by Chris Pratl on December 31, 2023.

As with all things Morgue Supplier, one comes to expect a certain level of depraved solemnity blanketing a sinister dissemination of filth. With the new single, A Life Extinguished I dare say I am treated to much of what I come to love about MS, but for whatever reason this track stands out among the dead.

The track begins with a looming explosion that is just muffled enough to delight and puzzle; but the tremendous undertow of personal expiration is given a musical epitaph fitting of such degradation while providing a literal stench that fills the nostrils when reading the lyrics. There is the usual raspy gulping for breath between verses of death and the beauty contained therein, but the delivery here pulls out some stops. The thick atmosphere of the guitar tone just carries the weight of the song, more or less developing a din of horror right in front of me. Then, as the tone seems set in a fast, whirling chasm of bleakness, the tone slows and the throaty bellowing overtakes the room. The drumming and bass work seem to glide subliminally under the aforementioned tones, until the perfect crescendo arrives and the beat simply overtakes you with a double-bass frenzy that can't help itself – the brutality now has its own life. If your head space allows, you might actually find yourself pulled into a dark place that will be comfortable and intriguing, and the overall feel of 'A Life Extinguished' encapsulates this and then some.

Atmosphere in this track is everything; while you're paying some close attention to the vocals, which is pretty much a given since they provide an Exorcist-Reagan-like horror, the surrounding void seems to close in on you. Death metal in its starkest form needs to do this to properly create an impenetrable wall of despair, and while Morgue Supplier never fails to supply these necessities, it's always nice to hear the ghost is not only still present but able to stand apart from past efforts. Paul Gillis manages to create some very disturbing visages within his lyrics; as a death metal fan, one can only read about bodies being eviscerated one too many times before it's old hat. With the MS arsenal in fine form, the sonic disturbances are welcome old friends where nightmares can be formed

What I also love about MS is simply that the music can dance around structural perfection, bordering on erratic delivery...and somehow this band seems to make it all fit accordingly. I'm never left befuddled after hearing how such a fog-laden sound can literally make complete sense, because it always seems to fall into its proper place. This track encapsulates a true vision of what dying can be like when treated with the upmost violent care. As with all MS tracks, there is a death and suffering element to everything; it's every once in a while that a song manages to fill the far reaches of the brain and stomach and churn there for a while, exasperating the right listener. It's part of what makes MS a band to be reckoned with on every level. I say this with no light weight, because it's a band like this that can slow down the pace to a sadistic crawl, only to find the speed with which to cast you out, emotionally and mentally.

I have always found heavy metal to be a music of intelligent and introspective people. Morgue Supplier never fails to to keep me interested, and any thinking death metal fan will undoubtedly find the merits in them that are easily acquired if one can handle some occasional suffering with their existence.

Grief of the gods
erased from eternity.

Now that right there is what it means to create a cesspool of magical dead among we that live.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10