Architectural Genocide – Cordyceptic Anthropomorph

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ARCHITECTURAL GENOCIDE is an American Brutal Death Metal band, coming from Houston, Texas. "Cordyceptic Anthopomorph" is their debut full-length, following their 2018 demo. This quartet of talented players go for a rough and raw sound here. A slamming, 8-track, 40-minute long record, for fans of bands like DISENTOMB or VISCERAL DISGORGE.

Opener "Spires of Mangled Tissue" starts right off the bat. It is a brutal track, with some basty riffing and slamming drumming. "Hallucinogenic Demise" comes next, a noisy and slightly complex track in which Nat Conner does not take a break behind the kit, always a full speed, for almost six minutes. The band’s riff building shines throughout the album.

"Dominate and Proliferate" features some outstanding and simply vile breakdowns on its second half. More dexterous drumming and a notable, brief dissonant solo put a capper on the track. Meanwhile, "Cordyceptic Anthropomorph" has a little swing to it, punctuated by a triple feel during long chunks of it. Daniel Brockway’s nauseous vocals are absolutely nasty, fitting this filthy title track.

Noisy guitar squeaks abound on "Gorge on Deceased". The whole band gets to play around with tempo and song structure on its last third, bringing some necessary variation after a lot of repetition. "Pleasure Induced by Agony" goes for another lengthy composition and makes the most of it with a jamming middle section. A more melodic approach to riff building adds colour to the song, before falling into another wicked breakdown towards the end.

"Abolishment of Human Existence" gives Matt Day’s bass more presence, adding depth and density to the track. Despite following the same formula as other 5+ minute tracks, it feels a playful and loose, avoiding mere repetition. Closer "Burgeoning Necrosis" does not shy away from a little melodic riffing. There is considerable clarity from the instruments here, something shared with its immediate predecessor. A dynamic song, filled with shifts and left-turns. It is an outstanding closer and a highlight of the record.

Although "Cordyceptic Anthropomorph" is a solid debut, and the songwriting is quite interesting, some tracks feel a tad overlong considering the repetitive nature of most of them. The album also suffers from a bit of sameness, although it is clear the band is adequately presenting the idea they have for their music. Production-wise everything seems appropriate, but Matt Day’s bass gets buried in the mix on most songs. Also, things could have been a little less muddy on some tracks, considering the “clarity” the last two tracks have. ARCHITECTURAL GENOCIDE is a technically proficient band, with top-notch musicianship. Daniel Brockway’s growls fit perfectly the oppressive nature of the music. Overall, "Cordyceptic Anthropomopth" is a brutal record that deserves loud volume and lots of headbanging.

Songwriting: 7
Musicianship: 9
Memorability: 6
Production: 7