Well, the saga continues. Here’s yet another candidate to reach the lofty peaks of our lamestream n00b list. Insanely popular metal bands that exist (more or less) since the Dawn of The Metal Beast. But for some reason, they didn’t quite make it onto our swampy review pipe, despite their notoriety and undeniable success. The reasons range from no need for mainstream bands to too dumb to tango.
So, yet again, we’ll be exploring how this here metal survivor would fare with a contemporary look at today’s offering without any regard to their past actions. In other words, the very same treatment any other underground n00b would get. Let’s have it.
Dying Fetus is the impersonation of traditional Brutal Death Metal and their 9th full-length record Make Them Beg For Death will be our target. Yet another band with a damn stupid moniker that glows darkly in the annals of the Holy Halls of Braindead Knuckleheads. Apparently, the name was chosen – and I quote – “…while the members were young and was intended to be offensive.” Well, mission fucking accomplished. And for those who read our late musings on Cannibal Corpse, you’ll understand our take on ill-fated band names and the subsequent use of gruesome artwork.1
I just read a user account of Make Them Beg For Death saying that for many a decade, this band delivered the same olde metal all over again. And truly so, you’ll find yourself transported to the times when Brutal Death Metal was new and those gory themes were kinda cool. This is one record just gorging with brutal aggression once it lets loose. A tightly built production that just roars forth on its monolithic path ready to crush anything in its way.
One tense riff follows the other in staccato fashion with lightning-fast solos suddenly chiming in like a bad headache (Feast of Ashes, for instance). Predictable growls monotonously but mercilessly shove themselves down your throat like so much rotten meat. Interestingly, the bass is present most of the time and that’s a good thing. And on top of it all, the savage drumming will be butchering your eardrums like there is no tomorrow. The drummer’s performance really got on our good side, by the way. Frequent excursions into tech death will give way to ferocious slam/brutal death breakdowns. In other words, Dying Fetus make a show of their Death Metal prowess honed to surgical precision on Make Them Beg For Death.
The RMR crew didn’t detect any great moments on this record. But a few memorable instances garnered our reluctant appreciation. For example, Undulating Carnage impressed us with some true slow-marching groove. And this track truly sports some variation on a record of angry monoblock Death Metal raging. The second half of the album indeed somewhat increases in quality (Hero’s Grave). And that’s amazing given that only the aforementioned Feast of Ashes really stands out on the A-side.
Ultimately though, Make Them Beg For Death turned out to be the mother of all Neanderthal DM suckers we encountered so far. The RMR review desk enjoyed the technical geekery, true. But the super-tight production and the somewhat monotonous and nuclear delivery of all things metal didn’t convince. On top of that, the deluge of half-witted and hate-filled lyrics didn’t really help matters either. Contemporary DM outfits go out of their way to slam their way through their metal with some innovation and gusto. And that renders them interesting. Yet here, MTBFD may be great to play shooter games or serve as the soundtrack for some slasher movie. But it never really rocked us back on our haunches with some true breathtaking metal wizardry.
That said, die-hard fans will find a lot to praise and that’s fine. So, hit the play button and let ‘er roar. But get your cudgel first, feed the fire with a ton of wood, and pile up some stones for the slingshot. There’s blood-thirsty beasts out there in the hungry darkness yearning for your ass. You have been warned.
Ed’s note: Want to hear about all other infamous n00bs? Check out The List.
Record Rating: 4/10 | Label: Relapse Records | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 8 September 2023