The stunning debut full-length by this Australian band. Hailing from
Brisbane, Pustilence formed in late 2018 and soon became a three-headed
vermin that proudly brought forward mind-warping Death Metal madness of a
most mid-90´s vintage. The band´s first public recording, 2020´s "The
Birth of the Beginning Before the Inception of the End" EP, was a short
and sweet 15-minute vortex of melted leads, impossible tempo changes and
truly putrid vocals. The EP suitably received various pressings by
various labels, and showed Pustilence as worthy successors to the cult
likes of Oppressor, Morta Skuld, Gutted and Psychic Pawn. Still, the
best was yet to come, and now it arrives with their long-awaited
full-length: "Beliefs of Dead Stargazers and Soothsayers". With their
lineup now expanded to a quartet, Pustilence proceed to obliterate past,
present and future. While bearing the same sturdy template as the
preceding EP, Pustilence´s debut album explodes and expands in every
direction: leads are even more melted and madness-inducing, the tempo
changes are crazier and more slamming, the vocals gurgle with
supernatural clarity, and their songwriting on the whole bristles with
an excitement and electricity that´s rare these days. Granted, it´s
staunchly and unapologetically Death Metal -and those very same cult
names are still invoked- but Pustilence put just the right amount of
uniqueness to their dread creations that makes the whole
11-song/46-minute work plausible and reverential. Furthermore, the band
fully flesh out their fantastical and obscured lyrical themes, bringing
form and content together with alchemical ease. Which is to say nothing
of the absolutely amazing production here: crushing yet clear, each
instrument rendered in 3D tones but never sacrificing the inherent
rawness of true human performance. No typewriter or popcorn bullshit
here: just classic, effortlessly old school Death Metal that adds to the
glorious tradition rather than lazily picks at its bones. From caveman
breakdowns to rude angularity, haunting half-melodies to blunt force
trauma, Pustilence prepare to take the Death Metal underground by
literal storm with "Beliefs of Dead Stargazers and Soothsayers".