Hailing from Preston, All Consumed have been flying the ever-buoyant flag of UK death metal since 2012 and five track EP Stain of Humanity represents their third recording and first since last year’s impressive debut No World Order.
The band’s now fast-becoming trademark sound is very much that of the straight-up mid-paced bludgeoning made famous by UK legends Benediction and Bolt Thrower. Heavy/catchy riffs, dirty grooves, and brooding atmosphere are very much the order of the day and Stain of Humanity offering five short and punchy dishes for your aural consumption.
Opener,“Remains Of The Dead”, begins proceedings with a delicious Obituary-esque intro riff, delivering the ideal appetiser for the death metal feast that’s about to be delivered. Third track “Descend” provides the main course and highlight, containing a gargantuan main riff which will have you leaving the table to stomp about in malevolent glee.
Dessert comes in the form of final track “A Price Forced And Paid” which adds hefty dollops of thrash riffage to the death metal base to finish the feast in celebratory fashion. Gruesome backing vocals, pinched harmonics and a smattering of blast-beats all add interesting accoutrements throughout, all-in leaving you happily gorged by the end.
The production is raw and dirty which, if you were being pedantic, could argue it dulls the edge of some of the riffs. However, on balance it adds to the overall griminess of the record and helps give it an authentic old school vibe.
When the tendency of many younger death metal bands is to notch up the extremity and technicality levels in a bid to stand out, All Consumed thankfully stick to the simple winning formula that is straight-up, groove based death metal. The UK death metal scene is far better off for it.
Stain of Humanity is out now.
