Massacre — Resurgence

Limited Edition, Cyan And Mustard Swirl With Black Splatter Limited to 700. /

Massacre is a death metal band I’ve always rooted for and got very little in return for my efforts. Though one of the creators of the entire genre,1 they were unable to get their long-delayed From Beyond debut out until 1991. By then they’d been scooped by a ton of acts and demoted from innovators to also-rans. I’m stunned to report that Resurgence is indeed the long-awaited spiritual successor to From Beyond and one helluva fun death metal platter o’ splatter. Packing more Lovecraftian tentacle slappery than a weekend stay with Shuma-Gorath, this is an ugly, crude, and rude trip down death metal’s memory lane, with Kam Lee as your belching, farting tour guide. Powered by the guitar wizardry of Rogga and Jonny P., Kam has the proper foundation upon which to vomit forth a wondrous collection of roars, grunts, YAARS, and monster moans. The slimy coils begin to constrict mere moments into opener “Eldritch Prophecy” and if you’ve had an abusive love affair with From Beyond over these many years, you’ll feel right at home and hungry for an Elder God squeeze. Ugly caveman chugs and thick, battering grooves plow the field and mildly decorative guitar flourishes are thrown over the rotten crops to keep things interesting. This is 100% direct, no BS, old school death and it’s glorious in its infantile idiocy and primacy. “Songs like “Ruins of R’lyeh” and “The Innsmouth Strain” are from the ancient past (think Death’s Leprosy) but the sheer exuberance of the delivery makes them feel fresh and vital. The discerning listener will hear bloody bits of Cannibal Corpse, Obituary and Asphyx dotting the soundscape, but this is pure Massacre to the last fang and probing tendril.

What makes Resurgence such a happy surprise is how consistently lively and immediate the writing is. Track after track clubs you with nasty riffs, horrid vocals and memorable little moments, and then the album ends unexpectedly, leaving you disoriented but eager for more. Later album cuts like “Fate of the Elder Gods” and “Spawn of the Succubus” pack just as might power and dynamism as the early ones, and things conclude with a sequel to From Beyond’s timeless classic, “Corpsegrinder” in the form of “Return of the Corpse Grinder.” It holds its own against one of the silliness but coolest death cuts of all time, so hats off to them for that. No song is a wipeout or filler grade, and at 40 minutes with most tracks in that 3-5 minute sweet spot, Resurgence is a lean, mean pit beast ready for pit battle in the pit. No fat, but plenty of primordial ooze and ectoplasmic emissions. - AngryMetalGuy