The Upstarts: Mortual

 

 

CLICK FOR PL VERSION  

Some time ago I wrote about a respectable label named Awakening Records. And as usual, as is my custom, I just simply fell in love with their catalog. It's more or less organized, but I did manage to find some spots in it. Therefore, I decided to contact the boss of the label himself on the instagram, and just ask him about missing numbers. That way I've learned, that the 100th release was supposed to be exactly our boy heroes from Costa Rica, Mortual. Unfortunately, there were issues with line-up, and the whole deal fell apart, which is why the band ultimately released their debut on their usual label of choice, the Greek Nuclear Winter (which you should recognize from the ultra-classic Dead Congregation). As an uncurable maniac of Awakening, I believe that it was a massive mistake, as they would have a better distribution of their material. Oh well.

Reading through various opinions and reviews, the most common comparison is to the Death Metal scene from Florida, probably due to the title reminding people about Morbid Angel. The problem with that is that I completely don't feel it. It's a very modern Death Metal, clearly following the trend of producing the music in vein of Incantation, namely, the Cavernous Death Metal, with a little nod to old school fans. Everything sounds digitally clear, but it's not a criticism, as they still managed to catch the proper atmosphere.

 

Drumming has these peculiar fills, which were used by Mike Browning in Nocturnus, Ventor in early Kreator, Hellhammer on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, or Igor Cavalera on Schizophrenii. Once you'll hear it, you'll know what I mean. Riff-wise it's quite eclectic. The way I hear it, it's a hodgepodge of Morgoth, and Pestilence, with an attempt at the rawness of early Cannibal Corpse (closer to NY scene than Florida btw), but it's all performed in a cold and clinical manner, almost as if it was recorded in a morgue.

It certainly deserves a spin or two out of curiosity, but you won't hear here anything that would grab you by the throat for a little longer. Easy comes, even easier goes.