Italian brutal death metallers Putridity returns with their fourth album, Morbid Ataraxia, their first in ten years, though they did release a nice stopgap EP Greedy Gory Gluttony, in 2023.

The band has remained intact for the last several years and as with their other releases, Putridity goes straight for the jugular, not really letting up, and I appreciate their short albums – this sucker coming in at 34 minutes. Supremely brutal death metal should never have long albums, because it takes away from the sheer nature of what the music is meant for. Let’s not overstay our welcome, and let us destroy the listener and city blocks for miles.

“Prenatal Obituary” starts with some gurgling before going into the extreme blast beats. Cédric Malebolgia, who is actually from France, blasts like a machine. Super-fast and Putrid Ciccio, the sole original member, still knows how to craft sick guitar riffs. This tune is so fast that there is nary a breather

That’s until “Mors Mater Nostra” blasts through the speakers. This was one of the singles originally released prior to the album being released, and this shines. We get some squealing pinch harmonics, and around the 1.10 timestamp is a super neat guitar slide, and then the blast erupts yet again. There is plenty of fast double pounding action and then ferocious blasting with those super tight pinch harmonics. The 2.29 section is a slower gallop, and it only lasts for like 3 seconds before erupting into, yet again, another vicious blast fest. Andrea Piro lets out some tremendous growls towards the end of the song that enhance this sucker.

“Molten Mirrors of the Subjugated” starts very cool, without blasts with the drum work, then right into the blasts. Super-fast, super sicko type of various blasting going on, it does start to get a bit overwhelming, without any slow moments. We do get a mid-paced moment with terrific double bass and a hint of galloping action. The 1.53 slower moments shine, and this is one of the best moments. The song gets slower than a little bass solo, then BOOMMM right back into the blasts. Whew….

“Immersed in the Spell of Death” is another single that was released earlier, and this ends the album. Immediately opening with a cascading whirlwind blast beat, this song even has another little bass solo, that goes right into blast beats. The 1.15 cool slow down with the guitar work is most excellent. But it stays for like 2 seconds, then, like an Energizer bunny, right back into the grinding blasts. When looking at this 12-minute song, yes, while it is Putridity’s longest song – do not be fooled! Around the 3.30 timestamp, the song trails off. At the 9-minute marker, the song erupts again and finishes the brutality until the end.

Morbid Ataraxia is another super brutal album by Putridity. And while their finest for me is still their second album, from 2011 Degenerating Anthropophagical Euphoria, this is still fun. The lack of tempo shifts on this becomes repetitive throughout, but when I am listening to Putridity I know what I am getting myself into. Ultra-fast, non-stop brutality, that is played tight, and meant for destroying eardrums.

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