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BLAZING TOMB
Blazing Tomb EP

Self-released (2022)
Rating: 5/10

The bowels of Richmond, Virginia have opened and coughed up Blazing Tomb, a brand spanking new death metal five-piece that does exactly what it says on the coffin.

Here we get five tracks (and one opening short instrumental) that have a Swedish vibe, more so with those massive, crafted riffs and deep, gouging grooves.

Vocally, the barks are standard, but not on the lower guttural end and by the time ‘Written In Entrails’ embarks on its journey one gets to really understand the core of this band. To put it simply, there are no frills but the bite is hard, and the posse grinds with malevolence but with a chainsaw melody, hinting at the less deathlier flirtations of Entombed where the drums rattle with a destructive quality.

‘Run Down And Slaughtered’ is pacier, frothing but not overtly different, the band clearly revelling in its ability to pulverise and deafen without veering into sort of progressive strains. At their slowest there is an air of menace, but not necessarily exuding any real filth or grim echoes. Instead, it’s neither here or there death metal, often formulaic but always catchy as streaks of melody find their way through the gauze.

‘Bloodshed Adrenaline’ stabs with its percussion as again a black, oily groove overcomes the listener. Strip it back and you’ve got Slayer at their worst, I guess, but that melancholic solo provides a nice air of morbidity. Meanwhile, ‘Blazing Tomb’ chugs like a well-oiled machine, and again those reaching vocal barks come to the fore – almost shouty in a hardcore sense at times.

The band is clearly competent but lacking any real identity, which may leave them swallowed in the current climate where bands are getting murkier, heavier and weirder.

As ‘Flesh Offering’ closes this EP I’m mildly impressed by the doominess. This remains the most musical chunk on the release, showcasing the band’s more versatile side even if they resort to type.

I think Blazing Tomb should bring more of this slower style into the sound, if only to shift them away from a generic death metal slide. They have that crossover strain in their armoury so hopefully it’s just a matter of time before they implement it. However, for now this debut offering – through all its aggression and vigour – just doesn’t do enough for me and I’m just left feeling a bit “meh”.

Neil Arnold

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