INSIDIOUS DISEASE — After Death (review)

INSIDIOUS DISEASE — After Death album cover

Album · 2020 · Death Metal

3.5/5 · 2021-03-16
UMUR

"After Death" is the 2nd full-length studio album by multinational death metal act Insidious Disease. The album was released through Nuclear Blast in October 2020. Although it´s been 10 years since the release of "Shadowcast (2010)" the quintet lineup who recorded the debut album is almost intact on "After Death". And it´s quite the extreme metal "supergroup" lineup featuring Shane Embury (Napalm Death, Lock Up, Brujeria...etc.) on bass, Tony Laureano (Nile, Malevolent Creation, Aurora Borealis...etc.) on drums, Marc Grewe (Morgoth, Power of Expression) on vocals, Silenoz (Dimmu Borgir) on guitars, and Cyrus (Susperia) on guitars. The latter is the only lineup change since the predecessor replacing Jardar (Old Man's Child).

Insidious Disease was formed with the sole purpose of producing authentic sounding old school death metal. "Shadowcast (2010)" fully met that promise, and "After Death" is more or less a continuation of fulfilling that same promise. This is music for those who appreciate "classic" old school death metal albums like "Leprosy (1988)" by Death, "Cursed (1991)" by Morgoth, and "From Beyond (1991)" by Massacre. Grewe has a strong voice and a commanding growling delivery. He sounds somewhere between (early) Chuck Schuldiner (Death) and John Tardy (Obituary). Intelligible growling vocals delivered with great brutal passion and caustic aggression. I can highly recommend listening to and enjoying his vocal performance on a track like "Divine Fire", to get an idea of how great a growling vocalist he actually is.

The instrumental part of "After Death" is well performed too, which is no surprise considering the musicians involved, and everything is delivered with respect for the traditions of the genre and as a result the album features a high level of authenticity. You won´t find much here you haven´t heard before on many late 80s/early 90s death metal releases, but these guys know how to write an effectful and catchy death metal tune, and therefore a unique sound isn´t as important. Downtuned heavy riffs and occasionally faster paced tremolo picking riffs, good rhythmic variation (Laureano is an incredibly well playing drummer), and some great lead guitar work providing the material with the right sombre and melancholic atmosphere.

"After Death" feautures a raw, powerful, and detailed sounding production, which suits the material perfectly, and upon conclusion it´s a quality sophomore album release by Insidious Disease. If I have to make one criticism it would be that I think the album is frontloaded with the best and most memorable tracks. It´s not that the tracks closing the album aren´t great death metal tracks, but they just don´t stand out as much as tracks like "Betrayer" and "Divine Fire". A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

more than 2 years ago
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UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I never saw them as copycats, and like you just heard a clear Death influence...but come on, who wasn´t influenced by Death in the late 80s/early 90s? :-). To my ears both the two early Morgoth EPs, Cursed, and Odium are mandatory listening for fans of death metal. The latter is probably an aquired taste, but IMO one of the most unique sounding death metal releases out there. Hell...I even enjoy the Killing Joke worshipping "Feel Sorry for the Fanatic" album.