Bleeding Fist
Death's Old Stench

March 2014
Released: 2014, Morbidund Records
Rating: 1.0/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

Slovenia’s blasphemous black metal thrashers have been active in the locations of Izola and Koper since 2004. These last ten years have seen a total of eleven releases counting this new compilation, yet only one full length studio album, 2009’s mediocre and immaturely titled Bestial Kruzifix666ion. To celebrate the tenth year of the band, Morbindund ~Records have released previously unheard material recorded between 2011 and 2013, to show what this four piece has been cooking up behind the scenes.



Unfortunately it is apparent very quickly that we have very little to get excited about here, as the riffs to “Holy Saint of Death” and “Revelation of Degenesis” seem mind numbingly mediocre, and so uninspired it seems like they were written in a couple of minutes without a single care for quality or memorability. The quality of recording lacks any atmosphere, with starter-pack guitar sounds, and a lack of clarity and penetration in the vocals it feels like they were just spat out in one take with no proper execution or emotion in the voice.



Celtic Frost fans will pick up on the obvious influence, but will notice the complete absence of any of the magic or excitement that makes To Mega Therion such an enchanting listen to this day. On “Azazel” drummer Krieg seems to struggle with even playing a simple skank beat and each and every one of his few fills are powerless, and just highlight his lack of imagination as a musician.



By the time “Cursed Blood” begins, I’d imagine nearly all first time listeners will have fallen asleep by now, or there would be no reason for this album to still be playing; this track just offers more mediocrity and awfully dull song writing. Outro “Prelude to the Total Death 266” is probably the best part of the album, or maybe that’s just because it’s finally all over? I’m not sure, all I know is that even the most obsessive of underground black metal fans will find nothing inspiring or interesting in any of the 12 tracks here, and should avoid wasting their time on such bland music. An example of nearly everything that makes today’s black metal scene a miserable lost cause.



Review by Jarod Lawley