Vomitor
Devil's Poison

Just as black metal keeps mutating into even more virulent strains, thrash continues vomiting up fresh new abominations as well. Not exactly sure what to call Australia’s charmingly titled Vomitor – necro-thrash seems to be the best fit, as it seems a filthy antipodal cousin to Darkthrone and Mayhem, as well as newer, bestial black metal like Revenge or Teitanblood – but in any case, it’s some pretty demented shit.

For the most part, Devil’s Poison is thrash of the old-school Sodom, Slayer and Possessed variety, but there’s a lot of squiggly Morbid Angel feedback here as well, and it’s so dominant that it sometimes seems like a second vocalist. As for the primary vocals, think Jason Voorhees on a mouthful of bad blotter acid and the mic stuffed up behind his hockey mask. Ch-ch-ch-ch-haaa-haa-haa-haa. And of course, the whole thing sounds like it’s being broadcast through a shitty transistor radio (although that radio sits on a deserted beach where bodies keep washing ashore).

Now, while early tracks like “Crimson Tide” and “Flesh for Satan” are just murderously, batshit insane, things get a lot better when Vomitor scraps the ornamentation and just gets down to bloody business. Riff-heavy firestorms like “Caligula” and “Beast of Sodom” kill and kill again, and the blistering title track sounds like it was ripped directly from Hell Awaits. We even get a classic Araya scream on that one, nice touch. These tracks also succeed because when they do bring back the feedback explosions – the end of “Beast of Sodom,” for example – they feel more like well-earned crescendoes of lunacy rather than just haphazard afterthoughts. A few of the slower tracks like “Saga of the Rage” and “Midnight Madness” feature a more lurching, classic heavy metal approach; they’re more spartan and listenable than some of the faster, more brutal tracks, but they’re not as memorable either.

Ultimately, I don’t know how often I’ll return to this, but I know some of you sick fucks out there will eat this up, puke it all over your lap and then gobble it down for another go-round. So hey, enjoy yourselves.

[Visit the band's website]
Written by Jordan Itkowitz
July 21st, 2010

Comments

  1. Commented by: Jodi

    This sounds like something I could definitely eat, regurgitate, and then eat again


  2. Commented by: Biff_Tannen

    This album rules. Great stuff coming out of Australia in the last few years.

    Mmmmm…chocolate crucifix…..


  3. Commented by: vugelnox

    This isn’t as good as their debut Bleeding the Priest was oh so many years ago but it still more than scratches the itch. Killer band!


  4. Commented by: Stiffy

    Fuckin Biff and the damn chocolate crucifix. LOL!


  5. Commented by: Cynicgods

    Choco-cross! Religion you can eat! :D

    Yummy. Cynny needs a Crunch or a couple of Kit-Kats now.


  6. Commented by: Gabaghoul

    Chocolate cross what?


  7. Commented by: vugelnox

    I now have the mental association of Willy Wonka when I look at that album cover thanks to Biff. Willy Wonka and ripping Aussie death thrash factory.


  8. Commented by: Nick Taxidermy

    good stuff.


  9. Commented by: Dimaension X

    Maybe the Catholic church would have a larger faithful following if communion hosts were chocolate or like Necco wafers?

    Sorry. But seriously, the cover does look like a chocolate crucifix!


  10. Commented by: DK777

    Jordan,

    There’s no way I could enjoy the album as much as I enjoyed this review. Great stuff.

    Cheers…

    -DK


  11. Commented by: gabaghoul

    ha, thanks Don. enjoyed your last few as well. welcome to the team.


  12. Commented by: Jodi

    Bought this based on your review & the first few tracks kinda terrify me, in a good way


  13. Commented by: gabaghoul

    ok so do you guys think that the cross on the cover is supposed to look like it’s chocolate and that’s why the album is called Devil’s Poison? I have to assume that there are chocolate crucifixes out there – which is fucking ridiculous – and so it’d make sense for the band to use an inverted one as their title inspiration…


  14. Commented by: Jodi

    You can buy chocolate crosses from Walmart at Easter time…that’s all I know


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