They say things lurk in the dank grottoes of the earth and hide behind curtains of mist deep within the forest, just out of sight and waiting to prey upon the unsuspecting. These tales seem to be more than mere legends after listening to the newest release by Tucson's Inoculara. The music presented here is utterly nasty, evil, and overflowing with spite.
A witches brew of doom, grindcore, death, and black metal plus a bit of crust added for maximum lethality, this record is a more than adequate offering to appease the bloodthirsty deities of hell. Quixotic and shape shifting, the songs are constantly changing direction, yet they don't sound like a random collection of ideas; the musical chaos is harnessed and focused throughout the recording. Whether the tempo is faster or slower, there always seems to be a beastly, lumbering quality to the songs which makes the record even more enjoyable. Check out the song The Mouldering for some great examples of how Inoculara can turn musical corners on a dime.
Musical transfiguration aside, further elements of strength on this effort include the unpolished, shredded throat vocals. Ranging from low or mid range growling to higher pitched screaming, they sound like a tormented soul that has torn into reality and is spewing forth rotten, acidic bile over the land. This vocal style is a perfect fit for the music at hand, and it probably wouldn't sound the same without it. Additionally, the recording and mix have an old school sound to them that is warm and full. The drum tones are awesome on this album, being very reminiscent of the drum sound on Slayer's "Seasons In The Abyss", which is pretty rad.
Now unveiled in it's full and unholy glory, this monster spawned by Inoculara is a true gem of heavy music and a testament to just how unsettling and ugly music can be even as it is putting a smile on your face. Full of claws, teeth, and nightmarish images, the music contained within swirls like a maelstrom and thunders the ground with each step as it slouches it's way out of the gutter and into your ears. If you came here looking for hope, you came to the wrong place, for this is the soundtrack to the end of the world.
Final Score: 8/10
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