Denmark death-dealers UNDERGANG have been around forever. Well, not forever, but when, since 2009, the band has released not only 4 full-lengths, but managed to toss out well over a dozen Splits, EPs as well as two live albums, let’s just say the “no rest for the wicked” axiom holds true.
De syv stadier af fordærv races forward at the start, not running out of the gate, but crashing through, ‘Død’ careening headlong in fury, only slowing briefly to insert one of the churning, churlish nearly crust groovy moments for which the foursome has become known. ‘Mælkehvid og gennemsigtigt’ is shot through with positively blackened shrieks, but with an element of the grind pig-squeal ala CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN or SOILENT GREEN. Like the former was wont to do at times, at a certain point the bottom falls out of the forward march, and we’re sucked into a sonic black hole, no hope as punishingly slow rhythm and riff blend to bludgeon.
After the epic-length (for UNDERGANG) 5-minute ‘Livløs i en pøl af egne udskillelser’ recalls OBITUARY’s The End Complete or ENTOMBED’s Hollowman era, ‘Dødsstivhed’ delves into pure Tony Iommi worship until, at just over the halfway mark, the grind returns. I defy you to listen to 0:46-0:59 (and other times interspersed) of ‘Misfarvning af liget’ and not be captivated at the bastardized cock rock majesty of UNDERGANG.
Ending with the earworm ‘Skeletisering’, mention must be made of not only the never-ending riff generators that are D. Torturdød and Mads Haarløv, but the fully in sync rhythm section of A. Dødshjælp (drums) and Martin Leth Andersen (bass) that makes not only much of the Copenhagen Crushers’ catalog but now De syv stadier af fordærv such solid, blue-collar death-based extremity.
Review By: Lord Randall
UNDERGANG
De syv stadier af fordærv [EP]
Dark Descent Records / Me Saco Un Ojo Records