Mental Funeral-Self-Titled
(HPGD Productions, 2008)

With a name like Mental Funeral it is really no surprise that this band draws heavily from Autopsy. It never quite gets to the point of being absolute plagiarism though. In reality the band sounds like a cross between Autopsy, Impetigo, and Mortician with a few nods to early Death throughout the 5 song disc.

I was a bit let down by the use of a drum machine initially but once I got into the bands riffing it wasn't a big deal. Sure you can tell that it is a drum machine but I've heard far worse. Speaking of riffing, the band has an excellent handle on duplicating the errie vibe Autopsy was so well known for. Combined with an early death metal feel and a surprising amount of melody and you have a diverse approach to old school death metal that offers quite a few surprises. Vocally the band sticks to a lower register although a few shrieks are used throughout the album. The vocals are definitely where the Mortician influence seems to come out the most although there is much more clarity on display here than you would normally associate with Mortician.

Fans of old school grimy death metal should have little trouble getting into this disc. The sound is a bit rough around the edges but there is a lot to enjoy here as the band has a solid approach to songwriting and knows that death metal doesn't need to be a race to see who can play the fastest. Fans of Autopsy, Death, Mortician, Impetigo and any similar bands need to check this out.

Machetazo-Mundo Cripta
(No Escape Records, 2009)

Long running Spanish death metallers Machetazo are back with a new full length album and honestly it rips just as much as anything the band has ever released. In fact this may just be the best album yet from the underrated band. Combining old school death metal with early grindcore energy, the band is a whirlwind of evil riffs and guttural roars backed by a sharp and vicious drum assault. In other words if you like death metal this will rip you a new arsehole.

One aspect of the new album that certainly stands out is the production. This is a fantastic sounding album that despite being rather underground in scale, has none of the production problems many smaller bands face. The guitars are powerful and in your face while still leaving enough room for the drum and vocals to obliterate the rest of the mix. The energy level really jumps from the speakers and just as with previous albums the band manages to put a ridiculous amount of energy into the performance. This isn't a band going through the motions. They feel everything gore soaked note and it really shows. Musically this isn't far removed from the band in the past. The Carcass meets Impetigo meets Napalm Death sound of the past is still here and I wouldn't ever want the band to change.

If you are a fan of the band you are going to eat this up. This is better than 99% of what is being passed off as death metal right now and manages to bridge the gap between early death metal and the more modern goregrind sound better than pretty much any other band out there.

Tardy Brothers-Bloodline
(Candlelight Records, 2009)

If you are a fan of death metal as soon as someone mentions the name Tardy you probably think of Obituary. What we have here are the two brothers from Obituary collaborating for the first time and while the album is not surprisingly Obituary like in nature it manages to make some major distinctions as well. For one this is much more rock based and nowhere near as speed driven.

The album toys with a lot of start and stop rhythms and pauses are very common throughout the entire album. To me it basically sounds like a more rock influenced version of The End Complete. The songs have a stripped down charm that makes them instantly enjoyable. There isn't any pretension, just heavy riffs, the trademark vocal snarls and a driving drum beat. There is really nothing flashy about the album at all. Even the guitar solos are somewhat laid back. There are flashes of shred throughout but the solos definitely seem in line with the rock feel of the album.

It may be hard for some people to look past the Obituary comparisons and enjoy the album for what it is. Because in essence this is Obituary with more rock and some Southern Rock influences thrown in. It is much less death metal in nature but still quite hard hitting.