FAST RITES: because sometimes brevity is fundamental.
First appearances can be deceiving. For example, I know I would expect a band with a name like Skulmagot to be some sort of gregrnd band or, at the worst, another of the hundreds of generic “br00tal slamz” albums that seem to come out every year.
I am so glad I was wrong.
Beneath the somewhat awkward cover art and song titles like “Cum Culprit” and “Furnace Tan,” Skulmagot are hiding a deth metl bangr that sounds like a long-lost cult classic for fans of early Imolation, Canibal Corps, and Morbdangl, filled to the brim with kiler rifs. On Skulled To Death, Skulmagot rely largely on syncopated riffing just on the edge of getting truly technical. Wailing pinch harmonics and crushing low end fill the guitar’s space with color and excitement. Bits of thrash DNA come through at times, help pushing things forward between the groove sections. The bass, while occasionally getting a bit muddled in the mix, plays terrifically between the guitar and drums, really shining through with its own life from the get-go. The drums are excellently played and, on the production front, sound incredibly organic. It’s hard to even name a single highlight (or lowlight) on Skulled To Death; not only are there no bad tracks, but every song carries its own weight. The entire album has been expertly carved to remove any fat or filler, providing a concise, focused album that never loses momentum in its brief 27-minute runtime.
In an age where almost any music a fan could want is easily available online, Skulmagot have created the modern equivalent of a gem by hiding some fantastic old skool deth metl in plain sight–a reminder to rip past the flesh and judge the music by the guts.
Release date: October 5, 2018
Label: Old Skull Productions.
