REVIEW: Mortual - Altar of Brutality

Rising from the depths of the darkest crypts of Costa Rica in the Central America, the death metal cult band Mortual is on the cusp of presenting its fans its newest and freshest offering to date. Consisting of the vocalist and guitarist Justin Sánchez, guitarist Juan Salas and drummer Chalo, the band is bringing their dark rituals and visions of spiritual ruins to all their fans across the globe, as well as the few chosen ones who can go see the band on their supporting mini tour around their home-country and some neighbouring countries.

The band’s long-awaited, full-length debut album is made of eight striking songs, that follow in the footsteps of a trilogy of celebrated EPs. The listeners are met with aggressive guitars and head-shaking drums, as well as piercing vocals and bass across each one of the eight songs. The band march onto a swift tempo across the whole album, oftentimes resulting into a chaotic blend of sounds, as can be heard, for example, in the song 'Divine Monstrosity'. Serving heavy riffs that power up the melody when combined with the strong vocals and drums is a great start, although there are moments in the songs when it all becomes one and it is hard to recognise the specific sounds.

Across some of these songs, Mortual have included captivating, intricate solos, such as the one in 'Skeletal Vortex'. Focusing on the guitar mastership of Justin Sánchez, the solo is not a long one, but shows off clever riffs and memorable vibratos, that add much to the overall experience for the listeners. It is also one of the few moments in this particular song where the guitar can be heard clearly, as Sánchez's vocals are not present, giving the listeners a chance to take in all the different melodies and harmonies and feel them as they are.

For the closing track on the album, 'Ecstasy of Death', the band opted for no vocals, a slower tempo and hauntingly toned guitars, making the track stand out from the rest. The length of the song is a lot shorter as well, actually marking it the shortest one on Altar of Brutality. There is no drum work on the track either, but the bass is prominent, tying the unusual melody together and making it sound richer. The listeners can also hear synth in the background, which is not as audible, yet still noticeable.

Altar of Brutality is an album that is bound to whirl a plethora of emotions into the listener’s mind, all while they are head-banging to the melody. Although the instruments often sound chaotic and blend together into an - on occasion - indefinable sound, there are still moments like the outstanding vibratos of the guitars that are well-worth listening to the piece. Mortual have once again showed the heavy scene that they can come up with a crushing album whilst simultaneously pushing for new soundscapes, and it is obvious that there is nothing that will stop the band from achieving its goals.

Score: 7/10

Altar of Brutality will be released on July 4th via Nuclear Winter Records.

Words: Katerina Stepanikova

Photos: Mortual