Monday, November 23, 2015

Bandcamp Picks - Abhorrent, Pronostic, Living With Disfigurement, Xerod



San Antonio's Abhorrent put the "tech" in "TX Death Metal". As you'd expect from a band that shares members with Spawn of Possession and The Faceless, Intransigence is one fingerprint-erasing riff after another, synced with some unrelentingly pummeling drumming. This is a band that puts their incredible chops to brutal use. [$8.99]


From Voivod to Martyr, Quebec has delivered some of the most adventurous and musically advanced metal bands - add Montreal's Pronostic to that list. Their sophomore album An Atomic Decision delivers enough hooks and NWOBHM nods to warrant comparisons to Amott-era Carcass, as well as fellow Canadian tech/death bands like Quo Vadis and Neuraxis. As impressive as it addictive. [$8 CAD]


Speaking of warranted comparisons, Living With Disfigurement surely own a Carcass album or two. Posthumous Indignities reeks of repeated listens to the gore/grind godfathers, as well as fellow sick symphony sympathizers Impaled, Exhumed, General Surgery, etc. Exhume to consume with relish. [£4 GBP]


Likewise, the self-released EP by France's Xerod doesn't skimp on the savagery, Infinite Cycle follows Cynic and Pestilence down a tech/prog path and adds some Euro-metal flourishes for good measure. Hopefully someone will throw some money at them soon so they can get the production their talent deserves. The album is available as a "name your price" download.