### Odious Mortem: Cryptic implosion

#### 17/09/07 || The Duff

I’m getting really tired of death metal, a sub-genre I thought I would cherish for years to come, as everything just sounds the same to me these days. So I find myself sticking to the bands that got me into the style of music in the first place, rarely expecting a new band I take the time to investigate to encourage me to burn holes in my wallet afresh. Odious Mortem don’t really offer anything new, but they do beat my noggin into new and amusing shapes, and judging from the strength of this album, are probably one of the finest new-age outfits doing the rounds these days. The more up-and-coming acts that Odious Mortem remind me of include bands such as Origin and Decrepit Birth, mixed in with some really nice lead work that doesn’t really bring to mind anyone in particular when overlaid the rhythm guitars and insane drumming courtesy of KC Howard.

The musicianship is top notch, and one of those affairs that brings tears to my eyes because there isn’t a chance in Hell that I would ever be able to pull off any of this stuff, let alone write it; but then, unlike other tech death bands like Spawn of Possession, Psycroptic or Necrophagist, this is ten tracks consisting of nothing but pure aural battery, and as such not to everyone’s tastes. Amidst the frenzied energy is a real musical beauty, but one that has to be painstakingly searched for.

I don’t know much about this band, so I can’t really compare how this compares to their 2004 effort, “Devouring the Prophecy”, but from what I’ve heard on their MySpace page, old fans aren’t likely to be disappointed with this effort – I wouldn’t say the production is much of an improvement (every instrument sounds sharp as razorblades, yet some of you might prefer the grimier tone as that experienced on their debut), but the songwriting and sheer cacophony of it all seems to be intact as ever.

In conclusion, my opinion of this album has been kept brief as I haven’t spent enough time to delve too deep into it, and chances are I never will give this the effort it deserves so long as I keep the CD-R version, but if ever there was a death metal release I’d purchase sometime in the near future, this would be one of five likely to make the cut; we’ve already established that my tastes in music are shit, but the fact that I may buy ‘‘Cryptic Implosion’‘ sometime down the line is still saying something for a sub-genre I’m gradually getting more and more sick of.

8 potatoes out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Willowtip
- Website: www.odiousmortem.com
- Band
- Anthony Trapani: vocals
- Dan Eggers: guitars
- Ivan Munguia: bass
- KC Howard: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Fragmented Oblivion
- 02. The Endless Regression Of Mind
- 03. Dysmorphic Avulsion
- 04. Vile Progeny
- 05. Conjoint Species
- 06. Nux Vomica
- 07. Gestation Of Worms
- 08. Subcortical Desiccation
- 09. Domain Of The Eternal Paradox
- 10. Collapse Of Recreation (Featuring Ron Jarzombek)