Morgue - Lowest Depths Of Misery

France's Morgue have been on and off despite running since 1997. With four albums under their belt and a new home on Godz ov War Productions, their latest effort "Lowest Depths Of Misery is right along the lines of their previous efforts. The mix of brutal death metal and grindcore sounds almost technical when considering a piece like 'That Which Does not Live.' Sounding a little bit like Napalm Death meets Hideous Divinity, there is no denying that these guys do not leave much room for breathing or peace as each track storms after the other. The drum department is the highlight as they are just furious and constant. Vocals such as on 'Transcend the Archeron' are cavernous and have that old school touch to them, but have the sinister hiss to them compared to the typical bellow heard in a lot of death metal or grindcore bands.

Other tracks like 'Road To Gehenna' are a bit more of the typical death metal/ grindcore mix, although the guitar solos have a bit more interest than some of the earlier tracks. 'Hug and a Stab in Back' is a bit more on the grind side of metal with a very ugly and loud sound. It doesn't have as much groove or technicality like a track such as 'House Of The Departed,' but it lives up to the roots of Morgue's earlier work. The closing 'Safe In Gods Care' is dark and old school with touches of Immolation, though not as thick a sound. The drums have more of a plodding thump to them, like a slow march to death, but this foreboding change works well for Morgue versus the typical obliterating speed of the drums that dominate the other tracks.

Overall, those that have followed Morgue since the beginning know what to expect: an old school sound with modern touches and no mercy when it comes to speed. While "Lowest Depths Of Misery" doesn't bring anything new to the table, new listeners especially might be taken aback by the sheer ferocity. A bit more rowdy than the average Cannibal Corpse album, Morgue know how to mix death metal and grindcore well to take the best of both genres and blend them into a chaotic storm of music. Those that like speed with a touch of groove and almost blast beats nonstop will enjoy this album. A bit more intense than the typical death metal listener might enjoy, but not quite that face stomping force that grindcore enthusiasts might be after.

3.5 / 5 STARS