ALBUM REVIEW: Congregation Pestilence – Drawn And Quartered

After a near 30-year career, some musical artists would slow down, rest on their laurels. Perhaps produce that chilled acoustic record that has been put on the backburner for a decade, and use the excuse of a global pandemic and isolation to produce something intimate and reflective. It’s clear that the members of DRAWN AND QUARTERED were not game for that plan, so instead decided to produce their eighth album Congregation Pestilence, which squeals and grunts with the crusty intensity of a band who have spent the past 30 years enjoying making as much noise as possible.

What is pretty staggering about Congregation Pestilence, and DRAWN AND QUARTERED in general, is that there are only three of them, making as much noise as possible. This serves them well in album opener Death’s Disciple, which roars out of the traps. Drummer Simon Dorfman is all over the kit, changing up the rhythm and pace of the song on a dime.

Speed is a constant theme throughout the record, but the pace is broken up with thick slabs of pure death metal sludge which ooze through your ears and give you a break from windmilling, but only so you can smash your head on the floor when the drums kick in. Age Of Ignorance opens with a ferocious assault on the ears, with an atonal lead guitar line accompanied by the aforementioned Dorfman attempting to hit every piece of his kit has fast as possible.

Longer tracks such as Proliferation Of Disease give DRAWN AND QUARTERED time to spin more of a hypnotic death metal web, whilst still maintaining their pummelling attack. The track also contains on the best riffs on the album, courtesy of guitarist Kelly Shane Kuciemba. Rotting Abomination rolls over the listener with a similar destructive abandon, slowing down in the opening minute to deliver another gut punch of a death metal riff to the stomach. Vocalist Herb Burke growls sound like they are from the depths of some dark bottomless pit, and he is high up enough in the mix that the disgusting noise he makes is always at the forefront of the listener’s mind.

Whilst this album is not the most dynamic of all time, it certainly packs a real punch. For all those fans of old school death metal, this is a great addition to your collection.

Rating: 7/10

Congregation Pestilence is out now via Krucyator Productions.

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