review: Devangelic

[review by MMB]

Devangelic

Phlegeton

Comatose Music

release date: 27 October 2017

When you get tired of bands trying to be everything to everyone, and you want a meat-and-potatoes-blasting-and-slamming band, you can't go wrong with these Italians.

Look at the facts. They are signed to Comatose Music, which is home to a roster of out-and-out disgusting, guttural bands. Another fact. Devangelic doesn't claim to be anything but what they are. Indecipherable, low-growling that doesn't even resemble actual growling but more like a murmur and a long burp. Guitar with no melody and no solos, just lots of chugging and straight heaviness. The drumming is American-style blasting and some breaks for slamming.

That's it. That is all that's on the menu. Death metal reduced to its minimalist heaviness for the duration of the album, a nine-song to-the-point affair. Devangelic is the living incarnation of clinical perfection taken to the highest levels of monotony. First, they want to play all the dive bars in Italy and then they will take on all the pubs, bars, taverns and house parties where the small crowds into brutality congregate to mosh, drink beer and talk about which Disgorge and Devourment albums are the sickest, and the drunkest in the bunch will mention Lividity, and people will nod in agreement, and then they'll go back to moshing and some more drinking to the music of Devangelic.

devangelic.bandcamp.com/album/phlegethon

facebook.com/devangelic.official