siLLy puPPy
In the last 30 years as death metal as been getting weirder and more experimental there has been a rush to create ever more bizarre technical workouts however there has been somewhat of a backlash as well in the last decade as there seem to be a growing number of bands reviving old school death metal in both stylistic approach and aesthetic. A few examples of this retro death metal style includes Acephalix, Altered Dead, Contaminated, Genocide Pact, Regurgitated Guts and Skeletal Remains just to name a few.
Another band on this list is VRENTH which was formed in Amboy, CA which is one of those historical towns on old Route 66 in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. It’s interesting that this band has five members: NM (vocals), CLR (guitar), RMB (guitar), SN (bass), CK (drums), however according to the latest census the tiny little town of Amboy only has 4 residents. OK, it has a post office so obviously these desert dwellers are out amongst the sagebrush cranking out the old school death metal din.
DEMO #1 was released in 2019 and showcases a band dedicated to reliving the classic early 90s in the modern era. Not only has this 15 minute release of 4 tracks been released as a cassette only (not including digital formats) but has cover art that perfectly represents the death metal underground of about 30 years ago. These five guys crank out classic death metal guitar riffing that includes those squealing solos that occasional pop up but also cranks out a traditional bass and drum rhythm section with the drums providing a stellar workout of tastily designed bombast. The vocals are the expected growls that are a bit more on the bass side of the register.
After a freaky ambient intro the three tracks pay homage to some of the heavier raw bands of the early 90s. Somewhat like a less brutal version of Cryptopsy or perhaps Dismember and Immolation as guidelines, VRENTH does an excellent job at bringing this classic death metal style into the modern era. Perhaps lacking in inspiration or originality but the tracks are all interesting enough to stand out and the instrumental interplay is quite mature. For a first time release this is actually quite a pleasant death metal experience. This is yet another band to look out for in the future.