UMUR
"Pickled for Posterity" is the debut full-length studio album by multi-national death metal/goregrind act Formaldehydist. The album was released through Metal Bastard Enterprises in September 2021. Formaldehydist features members from England, Sweden, and Denmark. The two most prolific members of the lineup are lead vocalist Dave Ingram (Benediction, Bolt Thrower, Down Among the Dead Men...etc.) and guitarist/bassist Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, Down Among the Dead Men...etc.). Ingram shares the lead vocal duties with Danish singer Mads Haarløv (Undergang, Iniquity...etc.) and British drummer Jon Rudin (Those Who Bring the Torture, Wombbath, Just Before Dawn...etc.) completes the quartet lineup.
Stylistically the material on "Pickled for Posterity" is old school death metal/goregrind, strongly influenced by late 80s/early 90s Carcass and other goregrind artists of that era (Impetigo, Nuclear Death...etc.). It´s obviously an album created with great love and respect for the genre, but also with a great portion of humour. The lyrics and parts of the music (is that a fart or two I hear?) are pretty funny (and of course suitably gory and vile) which songtitles like "Piss Soaked Lingerie (Another One Bites the Crust)" and "Six Six Six Pack (The Number of the Yeast)" perfectly showcase.
While the influences come from the late 80s/early 90s goregrind scene, "Pickled for Posterity" is actually more death metal than grindcore. There are blast beats on the album, but the music is predominantly mid-paced and brutal death metal (with the occassional hardcore leanings). Ingram has a distinct deep and intelligible growling vocal style, which is complimented here by the deep juicy growling vocal style of Haarløv. So no higher pitched snarling and aggressive vocals on this album (so much for the Carcass reference).
9 tracks and a total playing time of 24 minutes and the album is over before you know it, but while it´s playing it´s a greatly entertaining release for fans of the genre. It´s well produced, well performed, and well written, but it´s the band members love for the music and the fun they had making the album which shine through the most. I don´t expect a follow-up release from Formaldehydist (but of course be my guest, I´ll definitely give it a listen), but I can highly recommend a purchase of this one if you are a fan of the genre. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.