SUBMERGED — Tortured at the Depths (review)

SUBMERGED — Tortured at the Depths album cover Album · 2024 · Brutal Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Tortured at the Depths" is the debut full-length studio album by US, California based death metal act Submerged. The album was released through New Standard Elite in April 2024. Submerged formed in 2023 and released a demo the same year. All material from the demo have been re-recorded and included on "Tortured at the Depths".

The album features 8 tracks and a total playing time of 21:01 minutes, but trust me when I tell you, that 21:01 minutes is more than enough. It sounds like a very negative statement, but it´s actually not meant as negative as it may read. It´s just that the material on the album is such as pummeling, massive, and one-dimensional brutal death metal style, that if you listen to this for more than 20-25 minutes your brain is likely to explode and your skin begin to melt. It´s such an intense and brutal listening experience that few people will probably be able to survive had the album been any longer.

Submerged are a well playing unit, delivering their tecnhically well played brutal death metal with great skill. That to my ears is the main asset of "Tortured at the Depths". The songwriting is relatively one-dimensional and the unintelligible growling vocals are equally one-dimensional and delivered without much emotion. They are just there and almost work as an extra instrument in the already busy, meaty, and massively brutal soundscape. The "empty barrel" snare drum sound stand out in the mix and leads the way in an otherwise chaotic sounding sonic landscape.

It´s hard to evaluate an album like this, because Submerged do many things right, but there are also a couple of things they could have done better. My main complaint is the songwriting. The tracks are incredibly hard to tell apart, as they feature no hooks or memorable parts, and my secondary complaint is the one-dimensional and emotionless growling vocals. When that is said there are still enough quality elements on "Tortured at the Depths" to warrant a 3 star (60%) rating.
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