ROTHEADS - Sewer Heads - CD
The long-awaited debut full-length from this Romanian putrid ensemble. Rotheads was formed in Bucharest back in 2014 as an old-school Death Metal side-project to the experimental Doom/Noise/Stoner-improv band Keeng Ra´at; both bands contained the same three members. By 2015, five songs were written, and recordings began in December of that year. Ultimately, six songs (plus intro and outro) came out in April 2016 as the "Unfazed by Death" demo, which turned out to be a remarkable, sick trip into the bowels of murky and foul-smelling Death Metal. In the meantime, another guitarist joined the band, and the original bassist left and rejoined later on. The original drummer and vocalist also left the band in August, and another drummer has since joined, while the vocals are now handled by the original guitarist. Rotheads have played only a few times live, the most memorable being two gigs around Romania with the legendary Sadistic Intent. "Aptly fucking titled" is an understatement when it comes to "Sewer Fiends". Here, Rotheads take their aggregate influences -particularly from the classic early 90´s Finnish scene (Abhorrence, early Sentenced, Demigod, Depravity), as well as other timeless crypt dwellers such as Autopsy, Incantation, Carnage, Accidental Suicide, Grave and Asphyx- and proceed to create a mesmerizingly murky and moody work with their debut album. The sewage is piled high and plentifully, as foul and fetid riffs flow fast and freely, but always with a clearly discernible direction; after all, Rotheads are firmly grounded in the timeless songwriting style of old school Death Metal, where feeling and texture are paramount over technique and other flashy wank. And those riffs continue to roll ever forward, malevolently and majestically, just like a (filth-strewn) tank. And yet, amidst all this crunch and carnage lay a layering of eerie melody atop, evoking fresh crypts opening slowly or the tension of wandering further into tomb-like sewers. Indeed, Rotheads are as aptly named as their album is titled, and we dare you to emerge from their moldy embrace completely clean... There´s just no way to wash off this horror! As an appetizer, just stare deeply into Cesar Valladares´ cryptic cover art. And, with mixing and mastering courtesy of Javier Felez at Moontower Studios, it´s all but guaranteed that Rotheads´ "Sewer Fiends" will be one of the best (if not THE BEST) Death Metal debuts of the year!