Death suits Left to Die so well.
Formed in 2022 as a tribute to Death by two of its former members, Terry Butler (bass, Inhuman Condition, Obituary, ex-Massacre, ex-Six Feet Under…) and Rick Rozz (guitar, ex-Massacre…), joined by Matt Harvey (guitar/vocals, Exhumed, Gruesome…) and Gus Ríos (drums, Gruesome, Kill Division, ex-Malevolent Creation…), the band finally decided to team up with Relapse Records to release its debut album, Initium Mortis.
The album opens with Legion of Doom, an instantly compelling track that features not only a catchy rhythm section but also menacing vocals, a few screeching leads, ferocious accelerations, and a commanding groove reminiscent of the late ’80s, immediately strucking a chord with me. The track gets straight to the point, just like Archangel once its haunting harmonics fade out, delivering furious riffs at a brisk pace and pounding us relentlessly before handing the baton to Power of Darkness and its unifying choruses. The leads aren’t left out, adding piercing tones to an already aggressive foundation, though it ends a bit too quickly before giving way to Zombie and its unsettling tones, which quickly build to a fever pitch and offer a lively instrumental interlude in the vein of the previous tracks. Vocals return on Witch of Hell as the musicians deliver a solid rhythm section in the tradition of Old School Death Metal, but our momentum is interrupted by a screeching guitar solo before resuming its usual pace, followed by the initially more intriguing Rise of Satan, which in turn has us headbanging while incorporating intricate elements. The atmosphere shifts with Summoned to Die’s jagged approach; the next track that will undoubtedly delight mosh pits fans, then the band returns to pure violence on Mantas, a track with a symbolic name (Death was originally called Mantas, for those who forgot). It’s impossible not to feel the rage screaming through both the vocals and the instrumentation, and although the solo is surprisingly melodic, it fits perfectly into the onslaught that’s followed by Slaughterhouse – a relatively heavy track that maintains a fast tempo yet has an atmosphere as oppressive as its name suggests. The album wraps up with Death by Metal, the final track that revisits the raw tones and aggressive shifts to urge us to headbang to the point of breaking our necks to Matt’s screams, who willingly hands the mic over to his fellow vocalist before taking charge of the final.
Just when we thought they’d been reduced to the status of a (very good) tribute band, Left to Die delivers a raw, concise, and aggressive album the likes of which few can still produce. One could criticize it for not reaching the half-hour mark, but I’ll just give Initium Mortis another spin instead!
90/100
