Antropofagus - Origin

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Italian Death Metal four piece ANTROPOFAGUS released their newest album Origin in late October, making it their first one since 2017’s release M.O.R.T.E. - Methods of Resurrection Through Evisceration. This is their first album with new vocalist Paolo Chiti. The band started out in 1997 and took a hiatus 2022 after putting out their debut album No Waste Of Flesh in 1999 and a three track EP in 2001 titled Alive is Good…Dead is Better. They returned in 2011 with two tracks on a split album featuring three other bands called Split Torso Trauma and a full length record in 2012 titled Architecture of Lust. The band's name translates to cannibal or the eating or flesh from Greek, and is possibly taken from the 1980 Italian horror movie that shares the same name.

The opening track “Origin” sets in motion a will to conquer through the music, a Roman war style of decisive brutal death metal. The drumming is at a computerized precision to the point that it is tough to tell if it is of human nature. Mountains could crumble to the sonic assault that kicks off the album, yet if you watched the destruction from a far, you would appreciate the beauty of destruction. If you enjoy the low tuned and crunchy SUFFOCATION or INGESTED style, “While Nothing Slithers” stands its ground against some of the best in the genre today. Paolo’s vocals summon the underworld and overshadows it in dominance. “Oppressed Suffering” is four minutes and twenty seconds of stimulating death metal. More crippling guitar riffs that fade into a false sense safety.

“The Slaver Ascension” is technical and strategic in its approach while the track “Of Prosperity and Punishment” is the test drive dummy, 160km into a wall. The song is cinematically put together portraying a dark play. “Hymns of Acrimony” is mid-tempo and riffs as heavy as a sludge covered sledgehammer to the face. “Passage of Annulment” once again shows the machine gun-like force that drives the rhythm of the songs by Davide. Every member is performing at another level on this release with over forty minutes of brutal death metal that rivals some of the best in the game today.

Early into 2023, this album could still be talked about when it comes to many people's top ten lists at the end of the year. The mastering work of Wojtek Wieslawski and recording by drummer Davide is solid as the finished product shows there was time put into perfecting it. Really great release and for anyone who was anticipating it, they will not be disappointed. I feel confident in recommending it to anyone that is a fan of SUFFOCATION, BEHEMOTH, or anyone looking to be left in a pile of destruction.

Songwriting: 10
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 9
Production: 10