Mexican brutal death metal/slam band Human Decomposition has been around since 2011, but prior to this year’s Through The Omnipotent Implosions full length they had only put out a split and an EP, with the there being an almost eight year gap with no new material. But it’s clear listening to their full-length debut that the time has been well spent, as the sci-fi oriented band has adapted some technical and blackened elements into their brutality. It’s not that dissimilar from what some of the other slam-oriented groups have done in an attempt to branch out, but Human Decomposition delivers it in a more varied way and with a rock-solid production that gives their material staying power.
Where some brutal death metal bands have done a full pivot over to the technical or blackened side and kept their slams to a minimum on more recent albums, Human Decomposition has taken the opposite approach. This is still very much an effort with slamming, half time breaks and brutal blasts and grooves, but the other elements are implemented in a way that add some more depth and make the songs not all run together. The second track “Osirunet Stellar Gift” is a great early example of this, as you’re initially greeted with the type of slower, chuggy grooves you’d expect from this genre but a few minutes in the tempo kicks up significantly and the riffs move towards some colder, blackened melodies. Later songs use similar transitions but with a more tech death approach, and these have a similar impact as Human Decomposition has some strong riffs that stand out a bit more than your average brutal death metal band. That’s not to say that there aren’t a few moments that still are a little hard to tell apart on repeat listens, but as a complete package Through The Omnipotent Implosions has a lot to offer fans of everything death metal. I also like the production Human Decomposition has gone for here, as the low end comes through with the right amount of weight and the band avoids some of the tinniness that is common for brutal death.
The vocals go for a mix of high and low pitches, offering plenty of the guttural ranges and a healthy dose of gurgles that enhance the brutality while also heading into screaming territory on a regular basis. It’s an approach that gives the vocal performance a bit more variety, and this works to Human Decomposition’s advantage. It does feel like the singer is pushing himself here too, trying to reach some of those inhuman levels that add that extra intensity to the material. The last few minutes of “Infinite Radiation” are as over the top as one could want, with all sorts of ear piercing and distorted screams and growls that sound monstrous. Again, if you’re a fan of the style and don’t mind plenty of squeals, gurgles, and everything in between, this group should hit the spot.
Eight years between releases is a long span of time, but Human Decomposition has refined their songwriting and injected some other death metal elements that help shake things up in between the slams and blasts. While not every song stands out from the next, the ones that do make this album worth returning to and showcase that these guys know how to write good riffs. It has been a little bit since I’ve dove into some Mexican brutal death, but Human Decomposition was definitely the right band to start with and I’m interested to see where they go from here. Through The Omnipotent Implosions is available from Amputated Vein Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg