Review by Alex Grindor on July 12, 2021.

The announcement of this split made every Viral Load and Putrid Pile fan get really excited, wondering how could this battle be and (most important) who of them would be the best. Since I don't consider myself a fan of neither Viral Load nor Putrid Pile, I checked this split to see who of them was victorious.

Reached the conclusion that this is a draw (and that Viral Load is no present in this split).

Viral Load:
Okay, first we have Shawn Whitaker, known for his band Insidious Decrepancy, a band that uses extremely fast programmed double drum kicks, fast guitar riffs and gurgle growl vocals. Now, pick up this band, change his name to your other band (Viral Load in this case) and release a split under that name with another one-man band. I mean, seriously, this is not Viral Load, whatever you hear here is not that band, it's Insidious Decrepancy disguised as Viral Load. But still, it's not that bad. Their songs are good, starting from 'Dog Food Lube' (which has an awesome breakdown in the first seconds of the song and probably the most normal drum machine), passing through the extremely fast 'Methlab Machete Massacre' which has the most furious speed and riffing of the tracks in this split, and ending with the cover of 'Cod Piece Face', (Dead Horse) a good cover in my opinion. But (as most bands have a "but" part), I think it would have been better something more Viral Load in this split. The extremely fast speed of the drum machine, along with the guitar riff and vocals make you think you are listening to Insidious Decrepancy instead of Viral Load. Besides that, there's nothing wrong with this side of the split.

Putrid Pile
Second, we have Putrid Pile, made by a guy also named Shaun (no joke, in case you haven't heard of this bands yet). Putrid Pile differentate from Viral Load in the composition of the songs. While Viral Load uses extremely fast guitars, machine-gun programmed drums and gurgle like growls, Putrid Pile puts more emphasis in the guitars, making them sound brutal and awesome at the same time, using a “softer” drum machine and using deep guttural growls and high screams (sometimes combined) as vocals. If you think that "speed makes brutality", you are wrong. "The Satisfying Dead" is the proof that Putrid Pile can be brutal without breaking your guitar strings from the speed you are playing. Next track, "A Fitting End" is a return to most of the brutality that had in his first album "Collection Of Butchery", but at the same time mixing it with some melodious and slow parts. Final track "Lifeless... Not Useless" resemble his previous tracks in this split. Starts fast, the goes slow, then goes fast again, using a double vocal scream in the beginning of this track.

Overall, both bands have better releases than this split. If you're a die-hard fan of both Viral Load and Putrid Pile, I'll suppose you already own this split. If you're not, then hear it for yourself and reach your own conclusion. For me, it has potential, but could have been better.

Highlights:
Viral Load - Methlab Machete Massacre.
Putrid Pile - A Fitting End.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Review by Felix on January 3, 2021.

It's a bit embarrassing at my advanced age, but still and again I stumble across bands or receive recommendations that make me curious about their whole programme with a single song. In the case of Graceless, the can opener is called 'Here Be Dragons'. It is especially the verses that draw me into the canyons of the Dutch death metal disciples. They consist of a very charming mixture of a down-rolling part with vocals and an instrumental passage that serves up an excellent melodic fragment. This is bolts throwing, faces breaking music one can always listen to, not only just before dawn. Of course, the galloping chorus also leaves its mark and the solo makes sense, not just noise. Not to mention the tragic sounding break that connects the end of the solo with the beginning of the third verse. Fantastic tune!

Given this death metal at its absolute best song, I could not rest until I got the CD in my mailbox. Yes, from my point of view, the deadly genre will forever stand in the shadow of thrash and black metal. Nevertheless, this kind of metal has already proven its ability to make my life richer from time to time. As indicated above, Graceless continues the sound of Bolt Thrower to a certain extent and albums like the quasi-perfect “….For Victory” are definitely not the worst points of orientation.

Right from the beginning, the artists set the focus on ultimate heaviness and their all-encompassing brutality sees no reason to hurry up. The first track, 'Lugdunum Baravorum', drags itself heavily over deep terrain. With a density that suffocates all life, the quartet fights its way through churned-up ground. The solo allows something like a higher pitch to be heard for the first time, but otherwise it is all as sombre as the mood of the British forces on the evening of 01 July 1916 after the loss of some 20,000 soldiers on the Somme. Speaking of fallen British fighters, the melancholic melody at the beginning of 'Commander of Christ' is a clear cross reference to Bolt Thrower. However, the piece definitely develops into an independent Graceless number. Intensity and ruthlessness meet at the highest level and form a mid-paced smasher.

The dudes of Graceless are definitely striving for their own style. They are by no means the waste product of another combo. The headstrong beginning of 'Nine Days of Mourning' underlines this. A simple, calm guitar melody comes creeping into the listener’s living room and creates a menacing scenario. One can say the song suffers from repetition, because the simple melody line is repeated many times. However, I enjoy witnessing how hatred slowly hatches from the egg. This is all the more true in view of the album's excellent, powerful and clear production. The Dutch beat every possible sound hole to death. Bad for the holes, good for us.

Surely, a few details leave room for optimization, for example the solid, yet extremely generic deep vocals. Ultimately it does not matter. Where Vultures Know Your Name belongs to these albums whose name death metal maniacs should know, even though it is precisely the title track which falls by the wayside in the internal competition. But fans of formations such as Vomitory will not only bang their heads to the up-tempo parts of 'Warpath'. In this respect, I think not only the vultures would be pleased to know the names of these fans, but the pleasure would be mutual. Believe me, these vultures are definitely no budgies.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10