As more bands in the death metal realm veer towards tech, retro-worship, or dissonance, it’s good to know that straight-forward death metal never goes out of style. Such is the case with India’s Godless, who bring in brutality first and ask questions later. Centuries of Decadence is their first output, and boasts a mix/mastering job by Joe Haley (Psycroptic) in case you are in need of convincing.
One thing that Godless does for a refreshing change of pace is avoiding a blast-fest. Firmly at home in the mid-tempo chugging range, Godless does tap into that Decapitated/Psycroptic feel of groove-laden death metal. Instead of frequent speed runs, you are privy to a mix of headbanging riffs that are bound to stick with you for long after the album ends. Each of the four tracks within the EP features a slurry of memorable riffs, which is a testament to their songwriting skills at this age of the band. When they do go into blastbeat range, they feel more purpose-driven rather than just there to maintain the adrenaline rush. There are also some older thrash influences at play as well, meshing together well with the moments where the speed kicks in, making a nice melding of galloping thrash with death metal groove and heaviness.
Well-crafted, no-frills death metal with an abundance of groove makes Centuries of Decadence a winner. Considering it is the band’s first release, there’s a lot of potential waiting in the wings as they move forward. A full-length of this type of brutality (with melodic trimmings) should be a compelling journey.