KEEP DISCIPLINE MAG ALIVE
BUY A T-SHIRT
The lost trope of pure unadulterated disgust seems foreign to modern death metal’s stagnant philosophy. It seems as if any current attempt to generate a nauseating atmosphere from shock value can no longer exist with substance. Exhausted cliches innovated by the likes of Carcass and Cannibal Corpse have continuously plagued the likeness of the entire genre, filtered of any initial elements of unease both sonically and visually.
A deserved resurgence of utter sick nihilism has graciously festered into death metal’s lessening identity presence thanks to Pissgrave’s final output in a decades long tenure of audible violence with the abhorrent climax of Malignant Worthlessness. Those hungry for a continuation of the collective’s prior delivery of raw sadism defined by Posthumous Humiliation and Suicide Euphoria may finally have their depraved desires satiated by a familiar barrage of deafening guitar sewage and lyrical incoherency.
Stylistic repetition within hard rock/heavy metal adjacent genres traditionally acts to degrade a once original formula into complete mockery. Pissgrave, however, remain equally as inaccessible since their inception with an ever-so fresh concoction of aborted O.S.D.M and dissonant noise textures violating every crevice present inside Malignant Worthlessness‘s brief thirty-one minute runtime. Despite technically having nine individual tracks, this record seamlessly decays into a singular demented mental journey embodying each listener’s perception of complete internal torment. The painful opener, ‘In Heretic Blood Christened’, obliterates any amount of breathing room but leaves utter chaos to the imagination.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: DISCIPLINE MAG’S MOST DISTURBING EXTREME METAL BANDS
In regards to external visuals, Pissgrave manage yet again to fine-tune the art of reality by reprising their own cliche of sickening body decay portraits. This time around, they present a rotting head absolutely coated in maggots. Many may scoff at the cheap shock regarding Pissgrave’s imagery, but how “cheap” is the art when it reflects the depicted atmospheres so vividly?
Malignant Worthlessness reflects utter degradation through Tim Mellon’s echoing screams, resembling a recorded throat injury. His vocals finely complement the disgusting repulsion of the album’s exterior and instrumentation with a previously unseen level of stereo detail. The increased emphasis on both production value and pummeling drum grooves only furthers my adoration for the music’s ability to forcefully sway me internally wherever it wishes, without a second of remorse for wherever it may lead me.
Intensity brought upon by this rawer, one-dimensional approach of a constant beatdown does unfortunately ignore Posthumous Humiliation’s previous experimentation of vocal stylings. Though in all honesty, PH‘s complete payoff isn’t nearly as strong as ‘Interment Orgy’ alone. It’s impossible for me to revisit this album purely track by track. The entire journey through traumatic death metal torment is most effective by vividly enduring the complete audible abuse all the way into its haunting closing moments, where all is fittingly laid to rest. Never before has the ensuing silence of any metal release felt as blunt as pure concrete…
With Malignant Worthlessness, Pissgrave hammers the final nail in their coffin, cementing a legacy of sadistic abrasion that rivals the infamous O.S.D.M juggernauts of the late 20th century. This testament to nihilistic emotional decay stands as a landmark achievement not only in underground death metal, but in modern extreme music history entirely.
Engage with Discipline Mag
If you would like to engage with Discipline Mag, you can do so in the following ways:
- Visit the Discipline Mag Shop (ISSUE 1, T-SHIRTS AND MORE)
- Submit music for review
- Release announcement or music premiere
- Interview request
- Donate to Discipline Mag
- Write for Discipline Mag
To keep up-to-date with the latest from Discipline Mag, follow us on Instagram.
Support independent media to ensure the underground survives and thrives!
