It’s been a while since I heard from them, as it was 2014’s debut on Blast Head Records, Beyond the Forest where I was introduced to them, but have not heard anything from them since. They have released three albums since 2014, with Throne of the Lunar Soul being the most recent, and some of my symphonic black metal friends recommended I check the new album out.

So here we are, and the first thing that jumps out, as with the debut is the length; 74 minutes, (the two albums in between were far shorter apparently), and while I love this genre, 11 5-8 minute songs can be a bit exhausting. It’s a little like porn- yeah the 1 hour long romp looks and sounds like fun in theory, but in reality, sexy time is more realistic and enjoyable in much (much) shorter bursts.

Still, the band’s 90s styled, Old Mans Child, Dissection, Naglfar, and Dimmu Borgir influences are heavy handed as when I first heard them, but unfortunately, Throne of the Lunar Soul isn’t rousing me as much as some of their peers from 2022-2023 (Deathcode Society, Ensom, Moonlight Sorcery, Aphelium Aeternum, Obscuris Romancia).

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy Throne of the Lunar Soul as a couple of tracks like “Paladins of Ausadjur” with its Mediterranean jaunt or “Sojourner Wolf” with its nice acoustic moments. But otherwise, the songs, especially with their length, never quite hit home, despite their proficiency and confidence.

There’s just something missing on tracks like , “The Hierophant” “Vagrant in the Chamber of Night”, the 9-minute title track or “Two Carrion Talismans”. Despite the band’s admirably epic ambitions, things just come across as a bit bland. The keyboards in particular fall a bit flat, lacking either pure bombast or regal majesty (though the closing instrumental “Hymn to the Convergence” is nicely done), and there is just something a little off with the drums and some of the clean vocals/spoken words.

Still, while a bit of a step back for these vets, I expect them to continue to deliver their chosen sound, self-edit a little and hopefully get to the top of their game again for the next album.

These two sentences were part of the bio/press info. that accompanied Faceless Burial‘s request for review, and I’ll be damned if these two sentences aren’t spot fucking on. In fact, so true do these words ring that I almost feel guilty penning this review; like someone did my homework for me kind of guilt. So much, that if we didn’t write reviews for free, I would feel obligated to send somebody in the Faceless Burial camp some money, just for the sake of the matter. Regardless of the statements origin, the validity of  it requires only one listening of Grotesque Miscreation for it to become fact.

Imagine World Without God-era Convulse mixed with the swampy, angular brilliance of Morbid Angel, and dipped in a fine sheen of Incantation. Sounds awesome, and somehow delicious. Does it not?

The power and attitude captured on Grotesque Miscreation is pure old school magic. The band’s penchant in crafting dark and  twisted and streamlined angular chaos with a dirty and massive groove is simply undeniable. And let me be clear, “groove” is the key word. These tracks bleed a literal headbanging groove of a good time. From the dense groove found in “Malignant Excavation”,  or the slower lurchings within the speedy “Unrelenting Member”, or the fat death filled Convulse meets Grave meets Gorefest  groove/assault of the album’s title track, you will proudly wreck your neck and throw those horns. That’s not even counting the Immolation-esque “Useless Seed” or “Dominion of Swelling Flesh and Chaos”, with its grinding abilities, shuffling grooves and swampy lurches that are delightful in a evil enshrouded murkiness that encompasses  the whole of Grotesque Miscreation. In fact, underneath it all, the album is clearly a dark and dirty affair at its soul, but the mighty groove they wield is just unfuckable with and never overdone.

Being rooted in the old school, yet not sounding dated in any way, Faceless Burial are able to transport your feelings to that time of early to mid ’90’ bliss, when death metal was still pretty fresh and genuinely exciting in its unknown nature. My hat is off to this deathly trio, as Grotesque Miscreation has turned out to be a really enjoyable album for me. Honestly, this shit is right up my alley and my only gripe is that I wasn’t aware of the band or their debut early enough to include them on my list of best albums of 2017. Just as it did me, I imagine that Grotesque Miscreation slipped by many of you at the end of last year as well. My advice? Don’t let it continue to get away. Ive since made up for my folly, will you?