Much like their fellow countrymen Graveyard, Mass Burial play some of the most widespread styles currently present; Swedeath. The direction leans and focuses on pure old school Swedeath, played in a very similar vein to masterpieces like ''Like And Everflowing Stream'' or ''Left Hand Path'', but trimmed and cropped so that the simplicity of the riffs is may be displayed with ease. Old school and brutal this may be, but if you are not in a voracious binge fro Swedeath, the simplicity and plain sound may put you off easily. Fortunately, I have always been a die-hard fan of the scene and have bared too much of this style to give up on it now, especially when we're talking about such a good example of the ancient stylings. Pulversing and velocious is the perfect description for ''Of Carrion and Pestilence'' yet the band can't give the same archaic, rotting sound that may Swedeath metallers perfect add chunks of into their music.
The riffs are definetely there, crushing an oppressive as ever and never failing to enable a good head bang. The fact that the album delves into even more primal stylings actually caught my interest, since the riffs are quite thrashy and of course ultimately distorted and mangled with fuzzy guitar tone, like a crazed electric chainsaw, ripping and shredding a man's guts and belly like a spastic maniac. The riffs are indulged in the guitar tone, and they thrust themselves into the listeners ears every single time, creating a battering impact, both sharp and bluntly archaic. Now these kinds of riffs have obviously been played over and over again, and they are absolutely nothing groundbraking, in fact it wouldn't be wrong to say that they are a bit too simplistic, but efficient blows always strike me hard, and leave some severe scars. With the structures adn repetetive patterns also pervasive, the feeling that the band tries to do something to uniquely decorate or boast the quality of the album comes and goes often but unfortunately their desperate attempt to experiment through more complex sounds or styles fail for the most part, putting the war of originality to conclusion rather shortly.
One thing that offers some change and ingenuity is the relatively frequent usage of solos, and I'm only saying they're frequnetly used because many bands these days almost never go down their frets and play some cool leads, especially black or death metal bands. Anyway, the solos as you would understand are nothing worth some serious attention, they're not virtuosic shreds or anything, but are simple brooding, haunted melodies obviously used to emphasize the shrunk amount of atmosphere on the album. Even so, the leads are barely sufficient, and are almost of no use. The primal savagery of the album is there, along with a tinging old school feel, but the atmopshere fails to go above basic standards every time, and that sucks for sure. Though it was obvious that the band failed in ambience from the start, due to the clean atmopshere and rather vigorous incursions that assaulted the listener quite commonly. The vocals provide some quality, with their echoing and tremolous tone and guttural barks. I'm just glad that most of the music carries vivid resemblance to the music of their forefathers.
Even though ''Of Carrion and Pestilence'' is was a enjoyable listen, even I have my boundaries, boundaries which indicate that too much derivation can never reach collosal heights. Crushing and delivering the music like a chainsaw, this album is just pure primitive brutality and nothing more. I had a number of gaps, in which the most important one is the lack of brooding atmosphere, but it could still last a while. I am ascertain that noone one will gape in bewilderment when they listen to this album, but the one who worship the sound that it attains, will have a headbanging feast.
Highlights:
T.T.T.R
Rotten Rise Again
Intense Genital Punishment
Rating: 84%
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