The revelation of the Australian Extreme Metal scene happened back in the early days of the 90's in an unusual way: the world release of "Scrolls of the Megilloth" and "Post Momentary Affliction" of the Death Metal trio MORTIFICATION turned the eyes of Death Metal fans to the country, and many other extreme Metal acts appeared (note: no one cares about opinions like 'they're Christians' or 'evil versus goodness', it's just a fact, like it or not). Since then, many acts arose on those lands, and one of them is the quartet WRITHING that comes with its first album, "Of Earth & Flesh".

They're a Death Metal act that trails non usual ways, using 25% of elements of young Death Metal tendencies (not modern ones) with a 75% load of the classic format of the genre. In some ways, the band shows influences of DEICIDE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL and others, but knowing to express their musical work in a personal way. It's brutal and uses tempos that aren't extreme fast, some subjective Thrash Metal-like melodies in some moments, but always with both feet grounded in Death Metal. It's good, full of energy and aggressive to the core. Dan Lowndes is the one who signs the mixing and mastering (and the re-vamping of bass guitar and guitars as well), using a mix between the classic form of Death Metal sonority with some touches that defined the sound in a way to make anyone understand what's being played, but always in a brutal and oppressive way. And Dan sings some additional vocals on "Uncreation".

This blend of the new approach with a classical form is something not new, but that the quartet explores wisely. "Monolithic Extinction" and "That Which Becomes Death" (both are oppressive songs that bleed in energy and aggressiveness, and where the listener can check excellent rhythmic arrangements of bass guitar and drums), "Concealed Within the Soil" (another violent moment, but here based on a very good sample of the aggressive grunts and screams of the vocals), "Passages of Misery" (where the guitar riffs and arrangements enriches the song) and "Squalid Sanctum" are the best set of songs to start with the ears bleed.

As a first album, "Of Earth & Flesh" passes the test, but Death Metal fans can expect great things of WRITHING in the future.