2024 marks Liquid Flesh’s tenth anniversary.
During this time, and despite a two-year break, the band led by Gastric Luke (guitar, Demenseed), and completed to date by Putrid Bruce (bass/vocals, Influence Néfaste, Epitaphe) and Acid Bapt (drums) has created three albums, but the band’s style has evolved. Vestiges Abrutissants, their new EP, puts a fresh spin on a few old tracks.
We start with Tenafly Viper, a composition from the first album, which becomes much more massive, coupling its catchy groove with raw parts and an energetic blast. The vocals are also far more aggressive than on the original version, keeping the unhealthy touch and humorous sample, then it’s up to Police Python 666 – from the WAFFY 3 compilation released during covid – to bring us its rage. High-pitched bursts of vocals intrude on the thick Old School mix that rolls over us, but it’s time for Torture‘s jerky riffs to crack down, adopting more or less the same approach as the previous track with similar punching power. Stinging harmonics occasionally add a more dissonant veil to the rhythm, which ends with Human Soup injecting its Death/Doom influences and slowing the tempo at times, while exploding again during the virulent parts. To close this EP and honor their roots, the three musicians decided to create L’Oeil du Maître, a cover and adaptation in French of the track Eyemaster by legendary Swedish band Entombed, which featured on their 1993 album Wolverine Blues, and which also benefits from a more modern version, while retaining its unique touch – and it’s a success.
Liquid Flesh have now reached the ten-year milestone, and the band are determined to continue offering us their nasty death metal without abandoning their old songs. Vestiges Abrutissants offers a breath of putrid freshness on their first love that we appreciate much more.
85/100
