I’ve been told not to judge a book by its cover, but I am too shallow and can’t help it. Purulence Gushing from the Coffin features a pretty simplistic, xeroxed cover art that immediately tells me to expect nasty affairs. And it delivers just that, but with a brilliant execution.
Stenched, a one-man project from Mexico, presents exactly what I expected — a slab of rotten Danish death metal. They take all the mighty sound of Phrenelith and Undergang, mix it with some very solid moldy riffs and create a dark and gory atmosphere. The riffing is unapologetically bloodstained, and the heavily distorted instrumentation creates a dense, oppressive sonic landscape that feels purposeful and raw without veering into gimmickry. The vocals, perfectly burpy and lurking in the mix, contribute to the morbid picture without overwhelming the music. Tracks like “Mucus, Phlegm and Bile” showcase brilliant bursts of head-ripping energy, propelled by dynamic drumming. The rhythmic transitions, often employing unexpected tom worship, feel like a breath of fresh — and rotten — air, adding unpredictability to the songs.
Purulence Gushing from the Coffin balances its doom-influenced sections skillfully, ensuring that doomy passages never drag. “Suppurating Cranial Cavity” exemplifies this balance, pairing heavily distorted bass with less distorted guitar parts to create much needed contrast. Meanwhile, “Wormridden Torso” thrives on hypnotic, repeating leads that perfectly fit the album’s decaying vibe. The band doesn’t aim to reinvent death metal but instead masters its established tropes. Their influences, including Demilich and Sédimentum, are evident, but they avoid feeling derivative. There’s even an old goregrind atmosphere reminiscent of Pathologist, though Stenched eschews directly emulating them. The track names themselves are a grim throwback to the genre’s gruesome roots. The album closes on a high note with “Effusion of Foul Smelling Fluids,” which masterfully combines all the album’s elements into a single, devastating track.
From groovy rhythms to never-ending joy in the darkest riffs, Purulence Gushing from the Coffin feels like a celebration of death metal’s rotten core. The pacing of the tracks ensures no moment overstays its welcome, a rare achievement in this style. Without a doubt, this is Me Saco Un Ojo’s best release of the year and a must-listen for fans of heavy, gory, and remorseless death metal.
