Death metal. Based upon the band name and album title I could quite easily leave it at that but two words do not a review make.
Excellent death metal. Still not an adequate review however accurate such a succinct statement might be.
When it comes to Within Death, the debut album from The Plague, I am not so much lost for words but feel like it does not necessarily need a long time to convey how good an effort it is, just giving it a listen will readily convince most fans of the genre but I shall elaborate regardless.
I know that I wasn’t the only one that was looking forward to the impending arrival of Within Death even if I somehow managed to miss their first effort, Mass Genocide when it was released four years ago. Not only that, but Within Death is also one of the first releases from Bitter Loss Records, who have two more coming up in the form of the vinyl edition of Crypt Crawler and the new Ashen EP, so that is another reason to give it a good look and, if the opening paragraph didn’t make it clear, it proves to be a match made in heaven (hell).
With ten tracks and a running time of just over half an hour, it is clear that The Plague has no intentions of wasting time, choosing instead to attack from the outset and opener Mind Eraser, following a deceptive introduction, manages to set the tone effectively. From that point forward there is little respite from the maelstrom, whether it is surging forward with urgency or settling into a lumbering groove each song makes its presence felt and delivers exactly what is required through a strong overall consistency.
Not only that, there is also consistency in the complete package with Mass Genocide ticking all the requisite boxes. The striking cover art lures you in and gives a hint on what to expect until the well-balanced production, built around a gritty guitar sound that instantly brings to mind the classic Sunlight Studios sound, cleaves your brain asunder.
As a result, it is hard to pick a standout but, if threatened with bodily harm, I would recommend either Effigy of The Rotten or Slave To Addiction as two perfect starting points for the uninitiated.
Ultimately, Mass Genocide proves to be so effective because The Plague know exactly what they are about and subsequently go about achieving their forceful, fetid vision with a bloody focus and well-honed ability. As paradoxical as it may sound, there is a beauty to be found in their blatant ugliness and, while their influences are readily apparent throughout, it ends up being thirty minutes of “old school” death metal of the finest ilk that is sure to be one of the best examples of the genre come years end.
The Plague: Facebook
Release Year: 2021
Label: Bitter Loss Records
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Peter Schulz
