Embedded – Bloodgeoning (Apostasy Records)
Tuesday, 12th January 2016
Has there ever been a more succinct and self-explaining title than Embedded’s latest album, Bloodgeoning? Truly, it sums up everything that you need to know about Germany’s brutal death metal squad. Their first album in seven years (Beyond the Flesh was released in 2009), it seems time has done little to keep these guys from delivering death metal that’s well, bludgeoning.
The type of album that gives you nary a moment to catch your breath, Bludgeoning operates with a shared love for both European and American waters. Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Deranged, and Sinister all come across the register as the album progresses. You know, the not too subtle approach to playing brutal death metal. Opener “Quadruple Corpse Horror” is relentless (as it should be), and quickly builds the case for what Embedded is all about. A solid groove base keeps the album on the catchier side of things, with “Grinding the Bones” delivering one of the more melodic openings before laying down mid-tempo chugging, and “Dawn of My Being” has some rather memorable hooks that are interspaced between blastbeats. Another thing that Embedded has in their favor are the brutal yet rather intelligible vocals of Rainer Düsing. Often the vocals behind music like this becomes a blur, but there’s no challenge interpreting one is happening with Düsing’s guttural vocals and it’s a welcome change of pace.
The super appropriate album title truly speaks volumes for the material on Bloodgeoning. While it does conform to the traditions of the genre, the amount of energy, excellent use of groove, and discernable vocals make it well-worth checking out if brutal death metal is your thing.
