Rotten Tomb – The Relief Of Death

After a couple of various short players Chilean Death Metal band Rotten Tomb struck us in 2022 with a great chunky piece of Death Metal in the form of ‘Visions Of A Dismal Fate’, the band’s debut album. Rotten Tomb’s blend of Old School Death Metal and Doom/Death Metal worked remarkably well in this slightly dark and Black Metal-tinged atmosphere that reminded a bit of the likes of Grave Miasma, Cruciamentum and Dead Congregation. Now the band is back with another full-length album to further cement their name into the occult sounding Death Metal genre.

To start of with a conclusion of sorts, there is exactly zero change when you compare ‘The Relief Of Death’ to its predecessor, at least, when you focus on the band’s musical cornerstones. Rotten Tomb’s take on the Death Metal genre still very much strikes midpoint between Incantation, Gorement and old Paradise Lost. To make it more precise: they’re taking the heavy chugging parts from Incantation, the violent grittiness of Gorement and the melodic depth and vocal approach of Paradise Lost.

Rotten Tomb is such an example of a band that doesn’t need to reinvent any wheels, but instead goes for the tried-and-tested formulas of others and further refine and perfect it to make it sound as their second skin. That is exactly how ‘The Relief Of Death’ should be experienced, an unpretentious bit of Death Metal that obviously pays homage to the individual band member’s heroes, the great bands and sound of yesteryear. And, frankly, that is just fine when it is done in this well-crafted and convincing fashion.

‘The Relief Of Death’ proves once more that the band has something to offer in the sense of genuine Death Metal song writing and their knowledge of making it sound both authentic and modern at the same time. For sure, this is an album that certainly will appeal to those who will forever dwell in the prospering Death Metal days of the early 90’s.