### Putridity: Degenerating anthropophagical euphoria

#### 10/08/11 || The Duff

When Willowtip, distributor of the new Putridity, use words like “brutal death metal album of the year” having just released Defeated Sanity’s exceptional “Chapters of Repugnance” the year before in 2010 and SMN forumers echo that “Degenerating Anthropophagical Euphoria” is heavier than imaginable, I lurk from within my “had enough of BDM” cave and begin excursions anew.

According to the torrent download (I jest, I honestly spilled some cash over this one), Putridity started off from Obscene Perversion when following their break-up Ciccio (guitars), in 2005, started up his new band with a 4 track demo (“Innate Butchery Aptitude”) soon to follow, earning them a signing to Despise the Sun Records. A number of shows (including those with fellow countrymen Septycal Gorge and Vomit the Soul), a promo in 2006 and first full-length album “Mental Prolapse Induces Necrophilism” in 2007, plus minor line-up changes (namely addition of vocalist Paolo on vocals) and signing to rising metal label Willowtip, and here we are 2011 bringing us 7 new tracks, a re-recording of the title track off the first demo “Innate Butchery Aptitude” and a brief instrumental with “Predator” noises and controlled feedback much like Decapitated’s “The Calling” (and one soundbite at the tail-end of “Cannibalistic Post Climax Flesh Consumption” which is absolutely hilarious to the manboy in me).

Well, wouldn’t you know that this is far and away one of the most excitable brutal death metal records of the year if not of the past five; I haven’t been this hard-hit since “Chapters…”, and before that “Psalms of the Moribund” (both by Defeated Sanity), if not for Ze Germans then Infected Disarray’s “Disseminating Obscenity”. Bands like Defeated Sanity are those that carry the Disgorge torch with the furore demanded of them in my mind, a key requisite that seems less prioritised in many bands today the arrangements which few have the experience to pull-off convincingly, or maybe simply haven’t got the time and patience of painstakingly learning songs when so complicatedly structured. Not the case with Italy’s Putridity.

There is definitely a likeness to the more blunt style of countrymen Septycal Gorge, but instead they mix up the riffs in the mind-fuckery manner only those most practiced can manage, blending very heavy with technicality but also great focus spent on the dynamics where the tracks don’t pass on by in one blur but rather tease, build-up then devour (like Daemo’s Mom, right? Right? Daemo? Daemo?… Daemo? Amirite?… Daemo?…). The album is heavy as all fuck aided with 7-string tremolo riffs, breakdowns of the Disgorge variety (remarkable how I’ve warmed to these over the years, all of them essentially sounding the same) and harmonics, once again in the Disgorge vein but far more a staple to Putridity’s sound.

And then of course there is the drumming. I’m assuming it’s the same Brutal Dave from Septycal Gorge else there’d be more than a few awkward moments within Italy’s underground death metal circuit. I much prefer his performance on here than I do SG’s “Erase the Insignificant”, but part of that might be his more natural tone. Although not as jazzy as Lille from Defeated Sanity, an idol to many myself included, he brings a diversity to even the most repeated sections of the album – it’s the arrangements combined with Dave’ versatility that keeps “Degenerating Anthropophagical Euphoria” interesting above most albums of the sub-genre; it feels like not a note is wasted, eight tracks crammed few of which passing the 3-minute mark.

The production is cutting in that Deeds of Flesh manner but more bass-heavy, darker in tone; combined with a touch of inhospitality and dirt we have a perfect mix that resounds in all the right ways – the turbulent sections are razor-sharp, the slower sections bludgeon and you can hear absolutely every single performance to the utmost. This with the artwork of unusual hues and grotty/grisly imagery gives one hell of a package, likely top-three with the halfway mark of 2011 now beyond us.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Willowtip Records
- Website: Putridity MySpace
- Band
- Davide “BrutalDave” Billia: drums
- Andrea “Ciccio” Aimone: guitars
- Alessandro Cravero: bass
- Paolo Chiti: vocals

- Tracklist
- 01. Cannibalistic Postclimax Flesh Consumption
- 02. Sodomize Epileptic Chunks
- 03. Masturbating the Infibulated
- 04. Syphilic Menstrual Rejection
- 05. Wallowing in Aftermaths
- 06. Euphoric State of Dementia
- 07. Innate Butchery Aptitude
- 08. Draining Necro Anal Disgorgement
- 09. Living Decomposition