The Baltimore, Maryland band, DYING FETUS, has been making music since 1991. “Make Them Beg For Death” is their ninth full-length album. They play a mixture of brutal death metal and grindcore. I haven’t heard all of their albums, but I do like to check in with them from time to time. I have heard “Destroy The Opposition,” “Reign Supreme,” and “Wrong One To Fuck With” and I will go ahead and say that they likely will never produce another “Destroy The Opposition.” They aren’t the same band that they were twenty-three years ago. However, there is still plenty to love on their newest effort.

“Make Them Beg For Death” begins with “Enlighten Through Agony.” This track shows that they still have what it takes. The dual vocal assault of Gallagher and Beasley is as powerful as ever. DYING FETUS is the only band out there that can seamlessly blend grindcore and death metal this well, save for CATTLE DECAPITATION. In this case, Dying Fetus has better riffs.

They know how to make an exhilarating, fun album. “Feast Of Ashes” is an angry tune with wild guitar licks, pummeling drums, and perfectly placed lead guitar accents. I’m a sucker for some great chugging riffs and this album is full of them. The only track that I find to be a touch disappointing is “Throw Them In The Van.” It’s not that they do anything wrong. After its short runtime, I was left wanting more. It would have been nicer to hear that one a bit more fleshed out.

“Unbridled Fury” is the most aptly titled song on the album and it delivers in a major way. The riffs are iconic and this is the track to listen to if you have any bottled-up animosity and anger that you need to process. The intensity and aggression is almost cathartic. It’s also a fun song. The breakdown is powerful and it just delivers on all fronts.

“Raised In Victory / Razed In Defeat” is another banger. I love the guitar tone that they achieve in this track especially. The riffs are still exemplary and the aggression on display doesn’t let up even for a second. The final track, “Subterfuge” also delivers. Williams’ drumming is a standout. There’s also a great chugging guitar part near the end that caps the album off perfectly.

“Make Them Beg For Death” shows that DYING FETUS is in its prime. In a year full of amazing death metal releases, this album shows that this band knows what gets the fans off. It’s not ridiculously technical or experimental. It just has all of the elements of a superb death metal album. No frills, no excessive wankery, just powerful music that hits like a bullet to the head.