Rex Shachath | ‘Sepulchral Torment’

For several years now, Northern Ireland’s Overoth have been flooring live venues with their meaty and satisfying old school death metal vibe.

Fans should be glad to hear then that there’s been an offshoot, with guitarist Andrew Pennington and drummer Jay Rogers setting out their own stall with Rex Shachath.

It’s more of what fans will be used to – punishing death metal from the glory years of the early 90s, with zero interest in pig grunts and gravity blasts, and a focus on cool riffs instead.

‘Follow The Bastard’ has some ugly Morbid Angel in it, probably from round about ‘Altars Of Madness’ or more likely ‘Blessed Are The Sick’, though those earliest Cannibal Corpse albums get a look in as well.

Then there’s a hefty, slow Immolation weight in ‘Blind From Birth’. It’s the darkest track on here, and it’s chorus is a cracker. Even the guitar tone seems to have that deliberately cardboardy, mid range dryness redolent of the New Yorkers.

The first question anyone who picks this up will wonder is whether or not it’s just Overoth II. What’s the need for a re-run through more of what sounds very like the same material?

Well, there’s enough in here to make it distinct. ‘Statues Of Death’ is probably a bit more groovy than the typical Overoth tune, and there’s even a hint of Possessed in there as well. A welcome inclusion.

It goes without saying that Rex Shachath’s particular brand of DM will probably best appeal to the older side of the fanbase. Like Zombified however, they show that a good riff never goes out of fashion.

So is it dated sounding? Well yes, that’s the point. But it’s quality gear as well, if sometimes on the samey side. Great for reminiscence and killer live, the band are a welcome inclusion – even if Overoth remain the ones to really watch.

- Earl Grey ::: 27/08/12