Review by Michael on September 12, 2022.

I have to state that Bernd Reiners and Jens Finger are two really busy guys. It is just about 1 ½ years ago that the duo from the German North Sea coast released their latest album Ancient Death Triumph and now they are already back with their fourth full-length Tyrants Of Doom. As usual they release it on the German old school death metal label F.D.A. Records and of course the whole foul stinking album was produced by Jörg Uken who did once again a very good job with it.

But the foul stinking album doesn't really hit the bull's eye – the last album was much fouler and stinkier than Tyrants Of Doom. This time they have much more classic heavy metal influences that are to be found in the songs and the melodic aspects are much more in the foreground than on their previous releases. Naturally they don't deny their death metal roots, especially old Autopsy vibes, but I would guess that some Death and some other classic death metal records found their way to their record player. Apart from that, this time there are so many classical metal influences from Rainbow, Judas Priest up to Tank to find that the album is pretty difficult to describe in a short version.

Alright, so let's focus a little bit more on the music. The first single that was released was 'Mauled' so the one or the other might have listened to it already. What starts as a dark, rumbling death metal song with a fantastic double bass inferno turns out into a very big surprise because of all the breaks and catchy parts that appear in the 5:36 minutes. The basic riff in the chorus reminds me of Celtic Frost (and with this of course comes along some black thrash stuff from Scandinavia). The balance between slow, doomy parts and the faster catchy ones is perfect and the song is a good example for the great songwriting abilities of the two Germans. The next track ('Coffined Saviour') is much more melodic and starts with a quite sick guitar solo in melodic minor. The driving riffs give much energy and the minor parts are very interesting counterparts to that and the guitar solos give tribute to some classic metal and even some bluesy stuff. 'Necromantic Visions' stands out with its dramatic guitar leads which underline Jens' instrumental skills and show that he might be one of the best guitar players at least in the German death metal scene. This is fantastic musicianship! Nevertheless Slaughterday can also do some slow stuff like in 'Pestilent Tombs'. It starts with a very creepy, threatening atmosphere but also soon turns into a death metal wrecking ball with some slow Autopsy-like instrumentalisation (and vocals) and on the other side some very melodic and catchy stuff with a hell of some bone-crushing riffs. 'Drown In Filth' has some really strong (old) Death-vibes, especially in the drumming pace and guitars in the middle of the track. 'Predator' closes the album of the often controversy-discussed Carnivore. I think it is cool to listen to a cover version of this band, this doesn't happen too often. This version is very true to detail, only the vocals are a little bit more death metal and it appears to be a little bit more powerful than the original.

Well, of course I could write about all the other songs in detail but I don't want to write a two-page-review here (although Tyrants Of Doom truly deserved this). I have listened to the album now for at least 20 times and still discover some new stuff in the song arrangements and I guess that this will be the same for you. So go ahead and make your own judgment about this album. For me the album is absolutely flawless and one of the hottest candidates for the best death metal album in 2022 and I don't recall when the last death metal album drew me from the woodwork that much. Apart from this, I guess there is no need to discuss who the spearhead of the German death metal scene is these days. Well done!

Rating: 10 out of 10 death metal ribbons

Review by Felix on February 14, 2021.

Black metal is a narrow-minded sub genre, no doubt about it. All you need is an insane lead vocalist who screams like a pig in the slaughterhouse, an unleashed instrumental section and song titles like "Satan Kills God". A foolish summary? Indeed! Black metal is so much more, it can be the shortest synonym for the fascinating experience of a high musical level which combines gloomy atmosphere and imperious harshness with the effect that a malicious maelstrom opens up and attempts to draw the listener into the deepest depth. Of course, Mayhem's "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" will be the eternal benchmark, the "Reign in Blood" of the sub genre. But other bands are competent as well. Deus Mortem's first album mirrors the spirituality of the darkest genre every second.

'Receiving the Impurity of Jeh' has already been released on the EP Darknessence. I am talking about a fanatically raging song, but this partly blast beats driven track does not represent all strengths of the gatefold vinyl. It is the shortest cut and the most vehement at the same time, although it houses a brief majestic melody as well. I do not really understand the complete breakdown at 3:20, but it does not take long until the band accelerates the tempo again and reaches an insane velocity. A fantastic number and anything else but a foreign body on the album, nevertheless, it does not show all characteristics of the group's admirable compositional approach. For example, the opener begins with some morbid guitar tones that create an uncomfortable feeling right from the start. I mention this because this feeling becomes a constant companion during the entire work. The musicians know the content of the whole toolbox and therefore they feel free to connect rather simple - yet expressive - guitar lines with pretty complicated structures. They do not aspire to create the most unorthodox black metal album, but they also despise conventional song patterns. This balancing act works very well with the effect that new demonic creatures are waiting for the listener after each and every break.

Thankfully, the author of the first review has explained that the four musicians of Deus Mortem have already acquired a lot of experience. This can be seen in the mature yet furious compositions. Maybe this is a general feature that separates black metal from thrash, quite apart from their musical differences. Many thrash bands reveal solid technical skills already on their debut, but as they get more and more mature, they lose their ferocity slowly but steadily. In contrast, black metal musicians get out of their caves, forests or children's rooms at a very early stage. Some of them create rather amateurish sounds at the beginning, but usually they are able to improve their capabilities without losing the spirit of their sub genre. With that said, Deus Mortem's brilliance is not surprising. 'Ceremony of Reversion p.1', the longest track, shows sustainably that the Polish rogues have no problem combining complexity and coherence in a very strong manner. Not to mention their fine sense for the appropriate amount of sinister, sometimes meditative melodies. By the way, the sombre musical offering is promoted by the dark and minimally blurred mix. This is not a perfect production and it lacks a bit of directness. Yet stay calm, the technical implementation does not hurt the grandness of the musical content in a noticeable manner.

The carpet-bombing of 'It Starts to Breathe Inside' is heading for destruction and the same applies for 'The Harvest' or 'The Shining', quite regardless of a short break with some desperate screams (greetings to Silencer) and the conciliatory guitar at the end. In short: all songs hit the bull's eye. The promising horde from East Europe has penned an album with an abysmal atmosphere, but this aura is rather a kind of side effect. Deus Mortem follows another strategy. The focus is set on the devastating brutality of the compositions, their precision, their manifoldness and the almost choleric belligerence of the group characterises the apocalyptic full-length. The black light emanates its force as well as its fascination and therefore a very good rating is necessary. Believe me, the fact that narrow-minded people like me enjoy black metal does not indicate that the genre itself is narrow-minded, too.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10