Depravity – Grand Malevolence [Full Length, 2020]
Get to cover everyone! Depravity’s latest album just landed and it is devastating. Imagine getting a huge slad of concrete to your face and then repeatedly run over by 18-wheeler; that’s what I can imagine of ‘Grand Malevolence’, their second full length released via Transcending Obscurity Records.
I’m just honestly gonna say it, ‘Grand Malevolence’ is probably one of the best releases of 2020 with its raging speed, violent songwriting and massive overall sound reminiscing of Death Metal titans such as Hate Eternal, Suffocation, and Morbid Angel. With masterful songwriting hand in hand with back-breaking brutality, Depravity has the potential to make it into best releases by other publications other than us. Sure, it’s not original, they might rehash some style from bands I mention earlier but they did it nicely. It’s nothing short of face melting savagery, no holds-barred Death Metal goodness, from start to finish, with no dull moment. No atmospheric intro gimmick or anything, just straight, skull smashing brutality.
I find the instruments are mixed just nice (for a Death Metal record), where frenzied guitars worked closely alongside tornado drumming, complimented by rabid Death Metal barks. The vocals remind me of Frank Mullen (Suffocation) especially when it hits low grunt and when switches to ear splitting yell, Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal) comes to mind. The riffings reminds me of Hate Eternal with its percussive nature. I am truly running out of words to desribe how powerful this album is. If you feel like getting your ears annihilated by a top tier Death Metal quality album by a relatively new band, you’ve come to the right place. Give me Depravity or give me death!
Grand Malevolence is now available in CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital download format.
FFO: Suffocation, Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel, Decrepit Birth