Brodequin
Harbinger Of Woe

Brodequin are part of that cadre of bands that are the foundation of the Slam/Brutal Death Metal genre alongside the much-praised Devourment and Disgorge (USA). Their first three albums "Instruments Of Torture" (2000), "Festival Of Death" (2001), and "Methods Of Execution" (2004) set the standard in the extreme metal scene, and after their disbandment in 2008, they have now returned with a reunion. Now, twenty years since their last release, they finally reappear with this "Harbinger Of Woe".

James Bailey (Vocals and Bass), Mike Bailey (Guitars), and the new drummer Henning Paulsen return with their song lyrics (written by the frontman) about nineteenth-century dismemberment, torture machines, warlike scenarios, pyres, murders, and various multiform atrocities, and they do this in the most hardline manner possible. Throwing in our faces 10 ultra brutal death metal tracks full of blast beats, chainsaw guitars, and above all, the guttural and tarry deep voice of James Bailey stands out, always punctual and not hesitating to unsettle the listener with those growls that hurt your stomach like punches in the gut and kicks in the groin.

The album opens with the trio "Diabolical Edict," "Fall Of The Leaf," and "Theresiana," and everything begins to feel pestilential and oppressive with relentless blast beats, slam restarts, and Bailey's abrasive and cavernous voice that pulverizes his vocal cords and teaches newcomers to the genre how to produce such a sonic wall, hitting every mark and never losing an ounce of power and malice. "Of Pillars And Trees" and "Tenaillement" are in full Brodequin style, reminiscent of "Instruments Of Torture," to be clear. The riffs are boulders that roll swiftly and crash against the savage screams of the singer and the drummer's blast beats, frantic tempos even in "Maleficium" and "VII Nails." Do the songs, you might say, sound a bit too similar? Who gives a damn, here the sonic massacre is at the highest levels; the only flaw is that this album lasts only 32 minutes!

This damned and miserable journey ends with the last three gems: "Vedrens Dag," "Suffocation In Ash," and the final title track. The production finally matches the quality of the previous three albums, crystalline and powerful, this "Harbinger Of Woe" is truly a great work. For those who love ultra brutal death metal and slam, the return of a stellar band that gave birth to the aforementioned genre cannot be missing in the discography of every fan of the most rotten, uncompromising, and excessive Death Metal.

Welcome home, Brodequin.