Finding ourselves back into the depths of Chicagoland, wading through the wastes of the underground cesspool of filth that carries the stench of death into those famous venues like the Cobra Lounge or Reggies. Fueled by aggression, a lust for low-tuned heavy chugging guitars or the fast paced riffs and high screams of a vile metal scene. A scene that takes over the shadows and is a hotbed for many great bands that take to the stage.Some fall into the cracks never to be heard of again while many make a name for themselves. One such band to rise above the filth is CARRION THRONE. 

 Forming back in 2011 as EPITASIS and independently releasing an EP “Decimation of Gia” in 2015. The band a few years later, for whatever reason, changed their name to CARRION THRONE in 2019 and avoided that pitfall that befell so many others before them. Having released a couple singles and a demo prior and now under the banner of Lacerated Enemy Records, CARRION THRONE unleashes their first EP “The Feast of Human Vices”. Released May 31, 2024 will offer you a brutal slamming for 27:43 minutes as six tracks pulverize you. Showcasing four new tracks and two previous demos from 2022, this album is definitely there to prepare you for their vile march to make a name for themselves. Let’s get into it.

 The album art is black and white and depicts a scene of what appears to be hell. Demons emerging from a bright pit with a stormy turbulent sky above. Winged entities fly around as what looks like a black orb is possibly either opening the pit or destroying it. I'm not sure here as the contrast is pretty high and the grainy texture adds to the difficulty but also element of viewing the image. I love this. Keeping things dark and grim. The logo sits upper left as the album name sits bottom center with a slick gothic font. You don't even get the chance to breathe as the brutal onslaught of “Misanthropic” wastes no time getting into it. No slow build up or atmospheric start, just heavy slam death chord progression that is soon corroded by a deathly visceral growling vocals. Disgusting in all the right ways and an amazing start.

With no signs of slowing down we slam into “Mazoku Mao”. With a heavy drowned out guitar that reverberates behind the slam riffs which further thickens the brutal tone. The bass and drums further the thick and disgusting tone of the track that is soon met with a vile gargling demonic vocals.  “The Feast of Human Vices” is a disgusting album that has all the great elements of a solid brutal slam death album. Each track has its own flavor of brutality that festers along the backbone of the album’s theme. The levels are right where they need to be in order to showcase the volatile aggression of their death. Like festering boils that ravage your senses, each track is like a ruthless fetid disease that carries from one track to the next in a thick vile march of brutal death. Slamming into you with each chord struck as the vile vocals corrode everything. Disgusting in all the right ways. 

“Sinning Tree”, one of the demos of 2022, has a nice intro with some reverberating feedback over some well timed cymbal play. This is soon met with a barrage of heavy bass kicks, blast beats and thick slam chord progressions. Those vocals are truly disgusting in all the right putrid ways. Like a slow and heavy march, that turns to sludge as the track continues. Before you know the track is over and so too is the album. CARRION THRONE offers up a disgusting display of putrid and brutal slam death that often is coated in sludge. The vocals, the slam riffs and well placed heavy drum techniques are impressive. The bass holds it all together with a heavy undertone as well. “The Feast of Human Vices” is an album well produced with a great production value that compliments the disgusting overture of death offered up by these guys. Each level sits just right, to help complement the overall tone. If you love heavy and brutal slam death, then you need to add this into your collection. For an album that is a bit over 27 minutes, it didn't seem to have lasted long and I enjoyed every minute.