Blasphemer - Ritual Theophagy (2016)

Italy's Blasphemer are another great brutal death act, showing that they've no signs of stopping after such a wonderfully competent performance eight years after the release of the band's original debut (On The Inexistence Of God '08) which is an awfully long time in between discs, to be honest. Additionally, this album is a bit short at only a little under half-hour of playing time, but that's not a real problem as the performance is proficient enough to warrant the short tenure of the disc. One of the first things that I notice about this disc is actually two things: the drums and the guitars. Though that normally goes without saying and doesn't count out frontman Paolo Maniezzo's monstrous vocal grumblings, I really feel that there's an exceptionally strong chemistry between that of Darren Cesca (Deeds Of Flesh, Eschaton, Goratory, Pillory, Virulence) experimental drum compositions and Simone Bringo's (Beheaded) equally experimental and rather precise guitar compositions. Both of these guys love to experiment, and the record comes off as more of an abstract death metal (listen to Clod De Rosa's (Modus Deliciti) bass tinges here and there too, he's trying to add his own chemicals into the mix) recording that seems to carry on not only it's non-religious themes lyrically, but musically in the form of what I would call “scientific death metal.” If you don't adhere to religion, then you would naturally gravitate more to science, or satanic science as what I'd consider here with all the praise to the dark lord within the disc's lyrical matter. Regardless of the band's stance there, it is certainly an impressive performance that seems to deliver far more within the scope of the progression itself.

If for some odd reason the vocal performance cheapens it for you, just try to focus on the piece on a compositional manner. Even without Maniezzo's vocals, this is a very interesting lesson in musical chemistry and I believe that is the main selling point. This isn't the kind of groove-pummeling New York death metal that I reviewed earlier with band labelmates Dehumanized. Blasphemer offer something completely different. Regardless of the fact that there are over ten different Blasphemer's registered on the Metal Archives, (some of them are defunct, though) these guys are certainly one of the best of those and they actually manage to add to the performance with their vocie clips. Clips are always hit or miss, but the way that these guys add them (in intros and outros) really seems to pepper the oncoming freight train of calculated Italian death metal in a way that comes nearly unparalleled. While there are a lot of bands out there performing this style, you can definitely consider the unbridled rage, tension and technicality (there are even some sections that resemble black metal, so pay attention to that) that comes packed into Blasphemer's sophomore record one of the best examples in this particular style. I'd certainly recommend it.

(11 Tracks, 27:00)

8/10