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CASTRATOR
Coronation Of The Grotesque

Dark Descent (2025)
Rating: 8/10

Castrator’s sophomore effort is one I’ve been waiting for excitedly due to being so impressed by the New York-based band’s 2022 debut album Defiled In Oblivion. The only change since then is the addition of guitarist Sara Loerlein (The Breathing Process), who joins vocalist Clarissa Badini (Vicious Blade), bassist Robin Mazen (Gruesome / Derkéta) and drummer Carolina Perez (Hypoxia).

At 37 minutes in duration, Coronation Of The Grotesque is a fierce return and of immediate impact. It’s strange how over the last few years the focus has been on fellow deathsters Crypta, but Castrator deserves accolades too. There are no goofy tales here of cartoon horror. Instead, the women speak of real world hostilities and filter such violence through their insane barrages.

There is something refreshing about the Castrator battering. Forget swampy guitars and muddy production, this album drives messages clearly due to the ferocious vocals and ear damaging riffs. And believe me, there are riffs galore, and they are just as potent in mid-tempo range as they are when they are playing skin with speed.

‘Psalm Of The Beguiled’ has a more methodical approach, but that doesn’t prevent it from being heavyweight pummelling. ‘I Am Eunuch’ is more thrashy and aggressive, while somewhere in-between ‘Discordant Rumination’ provides slower menace in tandem with savagery. ‘Covenant Of Deceit’ serves further pulverisation while injecting sporadic bludgeoning breakdowns. There’s nothing over complicated, just crushing mid-90s styled death metal with occasional veering towards thrash. I hear strains of Master on ‘Deviant Miscreant’ and Castrator provide further thrash attacks on the surprising cover of Exodus classic ‘Metal Command’.

There’s little wrong here (except that bloody appalling band logo which is a bit too “slam” and “goregrind” for my liking), Castrator set up their stall and demand that you pay full attention. Not quite old school or new school, Coronation Of The Grotesque still packs a hefty wallop.

Neil Arnold

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