ALBUM REVIEW: Universal Death Church – Lord Mantis

Chicago’s LORD MANTIS are the cult band’s cult band. Comprised of serving and former members of the likes of COBALT, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, NACHTMYSTIUM and INDIAN, the blackened-sludge slingers are held in reverence by those who prefer their sounds sickening. Fourth full length Universal Death Church marks a return in more ways than one – the band’s first full length in half a decade, and their first release since a hiatus back in 2017.

From the immediate, icy rush of driving tremolo on opener Santa Muerte it’s clear that the quartert-plus-Dylan O’Toole are back, and taking no prisoners. Relentless, backed by steady, unwavering drumming and burbling bass, it’s thickly layered and dripping with breathless pace and harrowing shrieks. God’s Animal loops with ringing, atonal guitars before tribal drums rush into a pounding frenzy. Chugging chords lay a baseplate spattered by wretched vocal frenzy, continuing at murderous pace as a spidering solo whines and wails, settling into an irresistible, swaggering, tribal groove peppered with chant-like panting and machine gun kick work.

Qliphotic Alpha throws down dirty riffs and clattering snare, scalded screeches unearthing a buried bass groove. Slowly revolving and foam mouthed, it reaches out, occupying a huge amount of space, and irresistible cymbal runs usher in a galloping, barely contained groove. A false end takes us into wistful guitar that picks back up into a blackened chug, airy melodies juxtaposed with tortured vocals. Consciousness.exe skips through a stop/start chugging riff, striding and propelled by a big, driving bass hook. Guitars grind and spiral, battling ragged, croaked vocals before breaking into an ascendant tremolo that morphs into a distinctly grunge guitar line that stutters to a close.

Low Entropy Narcosis jangles with bright acoustic guitars, building tension with thumping percussion like a Western sound track. Distant, distorted spoken word vocals inject an air of INTER ARMA to the proceedings, atmospherics slowly swallowed by pulsating noise. Damocles Falls is savage right out of the gate, merciless speed and screeched vocals thrown into swinging dynamic shifts. Fuzzy bass loops and grinds as spears of bright tremolo pepper the track, tumbling riffs and clattering snares building to an apocalyptic crescendo beneath a massive held shriek.

Fleshworld coughs into life, rabid, rushing tremolo and breakneck drumming descending into multi-layered chaos. Abrasive and noisy, it evolves into a stomping, rhythmic section as chords ring out before buckling into a glowering, sludge fuelled chug. Closer Hole begins tentatively with crunchy guitars that are joined by blaring brass, a mid-pace snaking groove suffusing the track. Slow, subtle, organic changes eke in unhurriedly, the stately pace and unflinching, unchanging focus emerging triumphant as the album slowly winds down, closing with a Bozo the Clown sample.

Universal Death Church is an album that serves many purposes. Not only does it pay homage to and serve as a memorial of fallen member Bill Bumgardner (Rest in Power), but it serves as both a statement of intent and a timely reminder of LORD MANTIS‘ potency and prowess – they’re back, and none too soon.

Rating: 7/10

Universal Death Church is out now via Profound Lore.

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