Having one of the largest single day sporting events known as the Indy 500, or the droves of NFL football fans that roam the streets during game day are but some of what comes to mind when you think of Indianapolis. The multitude of museums that dot the city and hold the record for home of the world's largest children's museum are again some of the historical attractions here. But there is a more aggressive side to this city than sport fanatics. A more brutal underground that resides just below the surface. Though not as vibrant as some other cities perhaps, it is still present. One band in particular is here to help put Indy death on the map.

BETWEEN THE KILLINGS who began back in the year of 2017 but didn't release their first EP “The Killing Quartet Vol. 1 - Reflection of Murder” until the summer of 2022. An album depicting the heinous acts and depravity of a crazed murder’s mind. Well, despite the long wait, they are back to continue looking into that depravity with their latest album “The Killing Quartet Vol. 2: Omnipotence” that was released on June 20, 2024 under Comatose Music. Their latest EP lasts for only 17.03 minutes having only just 5 tracks. Now both of these EP’s are all forms of brutal death in all the disgusting ways. And what better topic than the depravity of a killer and the acts they committed. With the first EP being very well received, will their latest album match the hype as well? Let's find out.

First off, I love that they portray an old 80’ horror comic influenced artwork for the album. Reminds me a bit of the old Creepshow or Tales from the Crypt comics. The main image is of a man strangling a woman from behind with a bag over her head depicting the old 80’s like fashion with hues of turquoise and blues. A splash of red for the blood and you have yourself an awesome death metal album cover art. The band's logo remains as a title for the comic in the upper central part with the album name in old comic stylization broken up. The volume name at the bottom right while the actual name is just below the logo. The great thing is that they kept to the theme of their first EP’s cover art as well. Something tells me this will be just as good as their last album.

An eerie ambient background plays in the background that soon leads into what sounds like an old recording of detectives interviewing a killer. Like listening to old recorded police tapes with a haunting horror induced atmosphere, building the suspense as the opening track “Omnipotence” plays on. Before you know it, you are slammed with an onslaught of brutality as the track “Details of Sadistic Killings” begins. Low tuned chord progressions reverberate outwards over a heavy baseline and bombardments of double kicks and well placed drum rolls and blast beats. Lets not forget those bestial vocals that coat everything in brutality of death. Having a few solid breakdowns before the vocals switch into a fry scream, click tracks switch it up before the heavy vocals pick up again. Not to mention that squealing solo just to add more intensity. 

“Omnipotence” has all the right elements for a brutal death metal album that is disgusting in all the right ways. It's brutal but with some groove death undertones that lead into them playing a bit with some technical death as well. Even stepping in with parts that sound like grindcore vocals to add to the aggressive tonality before slamming into you with brutal force. Some of the mixing in areas are off, have parts of the vocals sitting a bit off and in parts too low, but nothing to gripe about. Overall, this album is a hallmark of what brutal death metal is about. Like a lot of brutal death metal, the tracks began to blend into one another with not too much track identity. Heavy with the brutal slam chord progressions, “Virulence Necrosis” hits you with a wave of aggressive sound. The vocals set the pace here before slight technical breakdowns peppered throughout the track as the vocals vomit over everything. The track has elements that bounce back and forth between brutal slam riffs and technical squealing riffs. A decent way to close off the album.

For a hallmark brutal death metal album that carries on the depravity of a serial killer from their previous EP, “Omnipotence” has all the right elements and then a little extra. If you're a major fan of brutal death metal, then this ones for you. I recommend that you not only go buy this album for your collection but their first EP as well. It's the second installment of a two-part series about a serial killer's depravity and its disgustingly brutal.