DISGORGE

If you're not already a fan of the bludgeoning death metal of DISGORGE, "Parallels of Infinite Torture" won't make you one. DISGORGE is not about melodious dalliance, groove-based chug, or even semi-decipherable guttural vocals. It's a simple matter of underground death metal extremity, the kind of sonic criminality you'll hear on labels like Unmatched Brutality or Unique Leader. "Parallels of Infinite Torture" is no exception.

Though I consider myself a big death metal fan, I'm not about to tell you that "Parallels of Infinite Torture" stands out from the hordes of sewage gurglers, gore freaks, and blast beasts that you'd hear at an event like this year's Ohio Death Fest. I've heard better and I've heard worse. It is a better album than "Consume the Foresaken" though, a disc I found to be more redundant and "samey" than usual. Songs like "Abhorrent Desecration of thee Iniquity" and "Descending Upon Convulsive Devourment" offer more in the way of arrangement variety and textured feel than the previous release. New guy Levi Fuselier doesn't exactly bring to mind the transition from Ozzy to Dio, but the truly devoted will notice a slight difference in style.

Musically, you're blast-beaten and mangled; the riff storms like being strangled with razor-wire, the drumming like trying to drink a cup of coffee with one hand while operating a jackhammer with the other. The musicianship is strong as well; like it or not, this is not easy material to play. At 44 minutes, the album is on the long side for this style of death metal, so you'd better be in the mood for it.

Personally, with regard to this particular style of extreme death metal, I find that "Parallels of Infinite Torture" basically gets the job done. I'd still rather listen to INTERNAL SUFFERING's "Choronzonic Force Domination", a quality example of this style. Regardless, the next time I'm in need of a good head stomping, DISGORGE's latest should do the trick.