EP REVIEW: Beset by False Prophets – Twitch of the Death Nerve

British extreme metal tyrants TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE dropped a pretty disgusting album last year in amongst all the real life filth we all had to trudge through. The cathartic release albums as extreme as these brings is something unique to the genre of brutal death metal and a reason why so many find it appealing. Alongside the hilarity that comes with extremity as well, that is. Coming off the back of A Resting Place for the Wrathful pretty quickly, the group are back with four brand new tracks and a selection of live delicacies in a fresh package titled Beset by False Prophets. And even with rough edges this band still manages to out-extreme even the hardiest of modern acts. 

The opening sample sets a MORTICIAN vibe to proceedings before The Wages of Faith really kicks the door down. Like a classic horror film the music is here to terrify and mangle, with the drain pipe vocals layered heavily over buzzsaw guitars and messy, clipping drums. The assault is visceral and ugly, but when the band hit their groove there is definite method to the madness, and the sloppy delivery simply adds the same character an axe wound adds to a murder victim. The short and sweet pummelling of Confounded by Aphophenia serves as an excellent exclamation point for the four new tracks and has moments of real violent excellence but also crams an awful lot of nonsense in 2 and a half minutes as well. 

At the Trial of the Exhumed Pope takes a more mid paced approach and feels far more akin to the recent OSDM revival movement. The vocals really do add the necessary unique touch that helps make TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE such a recognisable act even amongst a genre as muddy as brutal death. Throughout most of this record there is a lingering feeling of these tracks being glorified B-sides to last year’s release. Despite the mess adding a certain je ne sais quoi to the sound, there is an undeniable rushed feeling to this release, with the lack of live shows maybe spurring the need for further release and a need to remind us of the good old days. The new songs certainly sound beefy in a live environment, with the shattering double bass driving a locomotive of brutal death destruction, but there are also vast sections of muddled mess and a lack of real live energy to the tracks. But perhaps that’s just the sheer amount of time off from gigs starting to set in. 

There is certainly enough here to satisfy the avid death metal fans for a short fix before the next big release, and maybe to tickle the live itch for a little longer as well. But outside of that, last year’s album still stands as the better release and this seems to serve as a bit of a distraction that prevents that previous material from truly settling. The live tracks lack the distinct energy that should come from music like this, and the four new tracks are certainly exciting but feel like they should’ve just been on A Resting Place for the Wrathful. Beset By False Prophets is aimed at the super fans and anyone with a consistent need for new material to indulge in whilst they wait for their next big release. If you don’t fall into that category then there isn’t much rush to catch this EP, which is a shame given how impressively brutal TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE can be given the time and space. 

Rating: 6/10

Beset by False Prophets is out now via Comatose Music.

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