Let’s get this out of the way immediately: Last Retch is a “meat and potatoes” death metal band who plays “meat and potatoes” death metal. Abject Cruelty is 8 songs, 28 minutes rounded up, and will hit you with literally zero surprises, except perhaps how badass it is.

It’s very easy to get things rolling immediately with the title track, “Abject Cruelty.” It’s the longest track on the album, clocking in at nearly 4 ½ minutes. If you take away the spoken word intro, which I can’t fucking understand, then it’s a little shorter. This is straight-up “living at the first five frets,” beatdown death metal, which is what we all need sometimes. The first track and most of the rest of the album make me think of Flesher and their exquisite debut, Tales of Grotesque Demise. What I’m saying is it’s roiling riff and headbang city with a population of your ass.

If you know me (you don’t), I like to explore the short tracks, too. That’s exactly what we have in “Dissecting the Leper.” After a very brief intro, the main riff shines with the appropriately punchy production. Some pinch harmonics also never hurt anyone. The meatiest, heaviest section hits around the two-minute mark, and it doesn’t let up.

You’ll have to skip all the way to the end to check out “Gatling Gun.” After the briefest of intros, another sledgehammer riff takes over, which then turns galloping once the drums get moving. If you think they’re just going to hit you in the face with riff after riff, you’re correct, but there is a chorus, too. Luckily, they keep the vocals in a low growl, because as I mentioned previously, this is kick you in the teeth death metal, which has no time for clean singing. In the solo at around three minutes, the guitarists like to show off their fretboard mastery, proving they can pen an excellent solo to go along with their stomp on your toe and slap your back pit riffs.

I hate to boil all this down into what I would call a short review, but there’s truthfully not much to add to what’s already been written. Last Retch isn’t out to reinvent anything, just punch you in the mouth. No orchestral sections, no clean singing, just riffs. I already mentioned Flesher’s debut as a reference, and it truly is. That album was one of my favorites in 2023, and Last Retch scratches that itch so completely that I’m bleeding. It’s a great workout album and has been added to my gym playlist.

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