Label - Transcending Obscurity Records
Release Date - 19th Jan 2024
Words- Chris Fletcher
In recent years it feels like every time you hear a promising upcoming band, there’s a good chance they have emerged from the Australian metal scene, such is the embarrassment of riches they have in terms of extremity. One of the bands that have been earmarked as ‘most promising’ is Brisbane outfit Resin Tomb. Having released a self-titled EP in 2020, the band have been on many lists of ones to watch - including here at Heavy Matters - as we eagerly awaited the debut full-length to drop into our inboxes. The question then is whether Cerebral Purgatory delivers on this promise.
Right from the off you know what you are in for with this. Opening track ‘Dysphoria’ begins proceedings with a barrage of angular riffs and blasts that, with its sub-three-minute run time, forces you to acclimatise in a hurry. However, once this has been achieved you know you’re about to be treated to a delightful slab of furious death metal that seems at once to be both carefully crafted and ready to throw itself off the rails - this is track after track of pummelling riffs and skull-splitting breakdowns that never outstay their welcome and leave you wanting more.
Other standouts on the record include the title track, which pushes and pulls you in all directions before giving way to the imaginatively titled ‘Human Confetti’ which is built around a noodling guitar part that weaves around whilst the world crashes down around it.
Something that is also worth mentioning about this album is how the production job is a perfect match for these songs. Everything is as loud and high in the mix as you could want, and whilst there is plenty of grime based on the nature of the music, there is also a welcome level of clarity meaning nothing is buried by noise. Overall this leads the record to sound like it could go off and explode at any time.
This is eight tracks of death metal laced with blackened sludge, catering for fans of every corner of extreme music. What is truly impressive here, aside from the quality of the music, is that in such a short catalogue the band have managed to forge their own sound, and from their corner of darkness, they are able to branch out in multiple different directions musically whilst still sounding authentically them. There is no denying that the band have set a high bar so early in the year, and if there are plenty of releases this good in the next twelve months, then 2024 is going to be fantastic.
8.5/10