We're still in the early portion of 2016, and several excellent releases have already appeared this year. Some are from more well known or popular bands, and others, such as Virulency's The Anthropodermic Manuscript of Retribution, seemed to come out of nowhere and not only surprised me, but set a fairly high standard for other bands who plan to release a new album this year.
If you haven't guessed it by now, judging from the well done album artwork, Virulency is a brutal death metal act with strong deathgrind influence (I prefer to just call it as it is, heavy). This four man band from Spain will be releasing The Anthropodermic Manuscript of Retribution on 2/28/16 through New Standard Elite Records. If that alone doesn't tell you it's a killer album, keep reading.
Brutal death metal has the same problem many sub genres have in metal. For every 100 bands in the similar spectrum of sound, there remains to be only a few bands that are worth your time and actually exhibit a sound that stands out and sets them apart from their competition. This, of course, has much to do with song writing, musicianship, and talent. It's fairly obvious after listening to the first track "Myriapod Constructology – Part I – The Inception" you have something special. The blast beats, the unnatural gutturals, the heavy melodic-like riffs transporting the chaotic sounds through their twisted vortex of horror. This all sounds surprisingly cohesive. Even after the first listen, the distinctive segments are easily recognizable making the song one of the best on the album.
All the instruments are good, the production is well done, but one of my favorites is the bass. It's very distinguished, and creates a firm layer of groove when needed, but can also find its way into winding ascending and descending functions that are quite delightful.
As mentioned before, the structure and writing within The Anthropodermic Manuscript of Retribution is a highlight. I was immediately reminded of Iniquitous Deeds and how chaotic composure can indeed sound brilliant. Technical time shifts, off rhythm pinch notes, and a free willed vocal performance all contribute to a cohesive sound where the listener is not lost, but is carried through each song. Similar to how Matt Kilner can fuse sounds to produce excellent songs, Virulency has no trouble stamping their mark on the Brutal death metal community as delivering one of the best (so far) releases of the year for their sub genre.
If one were to get quartered as in the mid-evil days, that would be close to half of the brutality distinguished in Virulency's newest album The Anthropodermic Manuscript of Retribution.
Score: 8.5/10
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