Kev Rowland Dutch metal outfit Pestilence are back with their ninth studio album, although there has been a significant line-up change since 2018’s ‘Hadeon’ with only founder guitarist and singer Patrick Mameli still there. Over the years there have been a few musicians through the ranks, but he has been the constant, and is now joined by Joost van der Graaf (bass), Rutger van Noordenburg (guitars), and Michiel van der Plicht (drums). Due to the pandemic, Pestilence were unable to fully capitalise on the last album, and it was this which caused the other members of the band to quit, but Mameli decided to go the other way and write something darker and heavier and bring together new musicians to fulfill his vision.

Pestilence were initially formed in 1986, although they took a break in 1994 before being resurrected in 2008, then stopping again in 2014 before kicking off again a few years later. It’s not possible to keep a good band down apparently. Over the years they have been through different musical styles, always very heavy, and with this release they are focusing on technical death metal with complex rhythms and patterns throughout. Michiel is an animal behind the kit, utilising double kick pedals and complex rolls when the time is right, while at others being more straightforward and even having micro breaks if that is what is needed to emphasise what is happening in front of him. Rutger is an accomplished lead guitarist who enjoys taking the solos when the opportunity arises but for the most part this is about two guitars and a bass being totally linked while Mameli gruffly provides the vocals.

There is a strong sense of dynamics throughout the album, with little effects being used here and there to allow the music to always stay heavy and not fall into the background. The result is a death metal album which may not be totally essential but is a damn good listen all the same. 

UMUR "Exitivm" is the 9th full-length studio album by Dutch death metal act Pestilence. The album was released through Agonia Records in June 2021. It´s the successor to "Hadeon" from 2018 and it features an almost completely different lineup to the lineup who recorded the predecessor. The only remaining member, who also performed on "Hadeon (2018)" is lead vocalist/guitarist Patrick Mameli.

Stylistically the music is technical/progressive death metal and as such a continuation of the sound the band have had on the last couple of album. It´s a bit more direct and aggressive maybe, but other than that the listener is treated to the usual death/thrashy riffs (often dissonant), powerful driving drumming (maybe a bit too much use of the double bass drums), blistering jazz/fusion influenced guitar solos, atmospheric keyboards, and the snarling semi-growling vocals of lead vocalist/guitarist Patrick Mameli in front. There´s no mistaking that it´s Pestilence you´re listening to. Pestilence incorporate recognisable elements from both "Testimony of the Ancients (1991)" and "Spheres (1993)" (the band´s third and fourth full-length studio albums), but have wisely chosen to twist those elements and make them part of the 2021 sound of Pestilence to not become a retrospective clone of themselves.

The songwriting is relatively strong throughout "Exitivm", although some ideas and riff styles are maybe used a bit too much. The almost constant use of dissonance can also be distracting and sometimes I just wish they would play more "straight" power chords and notes and leave out some of the dissonance. "Exitivm" features a powerful, raw, and detailed sound production, which suits the music well, and upon conclusion "Exitivm" is a high quality release by Pestilence. As you may have guessed from the above, it´s not a perfect relase to my ears, but praise has to go out to Pestilence for continuing to have a distinct musical style. A few more memorable hooks would have made the album even stronger though. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

Unitron Anxious, disturbing, manic.

Never has any album invoked real horror and anxiety more than Pestilence's Consuming Impulse. Instrumentally, it's an incredible album with fantastic hooks, thrashing rage, screaming solos, and all that is essential to death metal. Out of the Body and Reduced to Ashes especially have absolutely crushing grooves. However, the vocals are what takes it to a whole new level of what death metal can be.

On every song, every vocal, Martin van Drunen sounds like he's screaming for his life and there's nobody there to save him from all the torment. Dehydrated is about dying in a barren desert, The Trauma is self-explanatory, Out of the Body seems to be about having your body infested with parasites, Chronic Infection about having an incurable disease, and Echoes of Death is probably the most emotionally powerful song about death I've ever heard.

This is truly a one-of-a-kind album, and is one of the most passionate performances I've ever heard. It's a shame Pestilence were never able to make anything like it again, but they really couldn't do it without Drunen.

UMUR "Mind Reflections" is a compilation album by Dutch progressive death metal act Pestilence. The compilation was released through Roadrunner Records in 1994. Pestilence were formed in 1986, released two demos in 1987, and their debut full-length studio album "Malleus Maleficarum" in 1988. The band´s early releases (including the demos) were brutal thrash metal or early examples of death metal oriented thrash, but their second full-length studio album "Consuming Impulse (1989)", saw Pestilence play a more pure death metal oriented style (but still with thrash metal traits shining through).

With the departure of lead vocalist/bassist Martin Van Drunen in 1990, Pestilence shifted their focus towards a more technically challenging and progressive oriented death metal style on their third full-length studio album "Testimony of the Ancients (1991)" (where guitarist Patrick Mameli took over the vocal duties). They took the deep plunge with "Spheres (1993)" though, which featured an atmospheric jazz/fusion influenced progressive death metal style, so it´s safe to say the first 8 years of the band´s career saw them develop and change their sound between each release. They disbanded in 1994 and as if often happens when artists disband and still owe their label more releases in their contract, a compromise is made and either a live album or a compilation album is released. I´m putting my money on little to no band involvement on this compilation release.

"Mind Reflections" is actually part best-of compilation and part unreleased live and rarities compilation, as the album features selections from all four above mentioned studio albums, the track "Hatred Within", which was recorded in 1988 and featured on the Roadrunner Records 1988 "Teutonic Invasion Part Two" compilation, but not originally featured on the contemporary "Malleus Maleficarum (1988)" (some later reissues features the track as bonus material), and six tracks recorded live at The Dynamo Open Air Festival, Eindhoven, Holland in June 1992.

The live tracks aren´t particularly well produced, and as a result seem a bit redundant on a compilation release. "Hatred Within" isn´t the most interesting track from the early days of Pestilence, and outside being a rarity, doesn´t bring much to the table. The studio album selections can always be discussed, but except for the fact that only "Mind Reflections" is featured from "Spheres (1993)", the tracks from the studio albums are a fairly good representation of Pestilence´s sound and development in the period. "Parricide" and "Subordinate to the Domination" were chosen from "Malleus Maleficarum (1988)", and both are definitely some of the better tracks off that release, and the listener is also treated to classics like "Out of the Body" and "Twisted Truth", from the next two albums, so the studio album track selection isn´t bad at all.

Pestilence reunited again in 2008 and began releasing studio albums again, so if "Mind Reflections" was originally meant to mark the end of the band´s career, it doesn´t anymore. Upon conclusion I´ve listened to both better and worse compilation albums, and this one sits in the middle, with both some good track selections from the various studio albums, but also a relatively uninteresting rarity track, and some not very well sounding live tracks. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Hadeon" is the 8th full-length studio album by Dutch death metal act Pestilence. The album was released through Hammerheart Records in March 2018. It´s been 5 years since the release of "Obsideo (2013)" and from the interviews with band leader/guitarist/lead vocalist Patrick Mameli I´ve read in the intermediate years, it sounded like he had once again put Pestilence on hold. This time to concentrate on his new project Neuromorph, but apparently Mameli has changed his mind because we´ve heard nothing from Neuromorph as of yet, and here we have another Pestilence album. Since the release of the predecessor Mameli has changed the entire lineup except for himself. Guitarist Patrick Uterwijk has been replaced by Santiago Dobles (Council of the Fallen, Aghora, Cynic), drummer David Haley has been replaced by Septimiu Hărşan, and bassist George Maier has been replaced by Tilen Hudrap.

Stylistically little has changed since the predecessor (and the one before that) as Pestilence still play technical/progressive death metal and they still sound unmistakably like themselves (major lineup changes or not). The tracks are maybe slightly more catchy and immediate than the material on the two relatively similar sounding predecessors, but it´s not a major change of sound. The number of sharp and powerful death/thrash riffs and rhythms have increased though and the use of dissonance and progressive ideas have decreased some. Listening to a track like "Astral Projection", which features an atmospheric section with a spacey vocoder voice, it´s obvious that Pestilence still are a progressive oriented death metal act. The many jazz/fusion type guitar solos and occasional dissonant riffs point in that direction too. Mameli´s intelligible death/thrash growling is the same as always. He has a fairly distinct sounding voice and vocal style.

"Hadeon" is a well produced, powerful, and detailed sounding album, and the sound production suits the material perfectly. The whole thing reeks an odd spiritual abstract sci-fi atmosphere. An atmosphere which is further enhanced by the lyrics and song titles like "Non Physical Existent", "Multi Dimensional", and "Layers of Reality". Upon conclusion "Hadeon" is another high quality release to the Pestilence name, and while this one (and the other post-2000 Pestilence releases) aren´t quite as groundbreaking as the late 80s/early 90s releases by the band, they still prove that Pestilence are relevant and can produce quality music. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.