SCORCHING TOMB - Rotting Away (Review)

Written by: The Administrator

Here in the ivory tower of our dusty scriptorium, we slumbering scribes often get caught up in our own machinations and obsessions. The other residents of Ye Olde Sleeping Village find us aloof, at times, and in the interest of furthering their musical opinions, a little intervention is rightfully required. Take this morning, for instance, when the guy who rubs cow brains on cow skin shouldered his way through our door and demanded that we leave the highfalutin horseshit behind and set our quills to a death metal review for once. I, for one, am not prepared to argue with anyone drenched in cow brains, let alone a burly tanner, so here we are, presenting a death metal review. Extensive intro aside, let's get bloody, shall we?

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Scorching Tomb's debut EP Rotting Away solidifies itself quickly as the kind of meat 'n' potatoes death metal that, quite simply, feels amazing to listen to. From the demonic mausoleum situation portrayed in the cover art, to the track titles, to the emphasis on no-nonsense OSDM riffage and putrid vocal expulsions, to the sheer headbangability baked into the formula, Scorching Tomb is a band that knows how to hit that balance between brutality and fun. If you find joy in the slimy bowels of old school convention, you're gonna find joy lurking herein. The midpoint kick into high gear on "Only Death Remains?" The overtly bass-forward outro on "Skinripper?" The throbbing groove and seasick tempo changes across "Bloodlust Sacrifice?" It's grin-inducing shit, all of it.

Taking a leaf from the book of Grave, there's an engaging bounce permeating the five tracks Rotting Away offers up. Take the intro to "Warpath" as a prime example. The energy is wonderful, plain and simple--this is a pounding track seemingly built for outrunning a horde of the undead. Scorching Tomb play a brand of death metal that we all know and love, so there's a certain level of established expectation, but the kinetic head-bopping energy is a pleasant surprise. Sitting still isn't an option; it's a 20 minute cardio routine every time. Insofar as OSDM has the potential to be dynamic and uplifting, this is dynamic and uplifting. 

2022 has already thoroughly pummeled the populace of death metal appreciators, and the violent torrent seemingly isn't letting up anytime soon. Let it pour, says the Village tanner, scraping cow brains from under his fingernails. If he is happy, I'm happy. The more quality death metal, the better. If you're of a similar mind, you'll likely find Scorching Tomb's Rotting Away a quality release. I encourage you to give it a well deserved listen (or, y'know, three.) Check it out here!

Scorching Tomb - Rotting Away was released June 24th, 2022.

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