MONSTROSITY — Spiritual Apocalypse (review)

MONSTROSITY — Spiritual Apocalypse album cover Album · 2007 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Spiritual Apocalypse" is the fifth full-length studio album by US, Florida based death metal act Monstrosity. The album was released through Conquest Music, Inc. in April 2007. It´s the successor to "Rise to Power" from 2003 and features quite a few lineup changes since the predecessor. Guitarists Tony Norman and Sam Molina have both left and new guitarist Mark English handles all guitars on the album. Lead vocalist Jason Avery has been replaced by Mike Hrubovcak (Vile). Only drummer (and band founder) Lee Harrison and bassist Michael Poggione remain from the lineup who recorded "Rise to Power (2003)".

Monstrosity continue to play their brand of US death metal on "Spiritual Apocalypse", but the addition of English to the ranks have a great impact on their sound. The premise is old school US death metal (technically well played), and artists like Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, and Morbid Angel aren´t the worst references. English lead guitar contributions to the music on "Spiritual Apocalypse", provide Monstrosity´s sound with a fierce (yet often melodic tinged) weapon and the often slightly generic/formulaic death metal basis of the music is lifted to a higher state. That´s how much a great guitarist can influence the direction of the music on an album. It´s actually not completely unlike when Ralph Santolla joined Deicide and delivered the many great leads on "The Stench of Redemption (2006)".

New lead vocalist Hrubovcak is a pretty regular low range growling vocalist, who gets the job done, but isn´t particularly distinct sounding. Fortunately the many great lead guitar parts and a slightly more varied and inspired songwriting approach than the case was of the last couple of releases, make "Spiritual Apocalypse" a solid US death metal release and definitely one of the better quality releases in the band´s discography. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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