GOD DISEASE have had a short, but nonetheless turbulent, history. Since the Helsinki based band formed in 2010, they've established themselves in the Finnish Death Metal underground with a demo and two EPs, whilst at the same time dealing with severall line up changes and a short lived disbandment. Since reforming in 2013, with a new line up, the band have managed to record two brilliant EPs, the latest of which is "Doom Howler", a record that establishes their appreciation for the old school Death Metal sound and sees their musical output become much more focused, catchy and interesting.

The albums opening, titular track, is a great slab of harsh, old school Death Metal, with lots of great, melody tinged guitar lines, gnarly, tar thick vocals and powerful, rhythmic drumming. It's a dark, mid-paced affair and sets the tone for the rest of the record. By contrast, "Maggots" is a much faster, groove-laden and intense track altogether. It's a short, sharp shock of classic Death Metal fury that sounds brilliant from the first note to the last. "Necromancer" takes a turn down a much slower, eerier musical path, with jarring, dissonant riffs providing a focal point for this monolithic, near seven minute juggernaut of a song. There's some really dense, pulsing bass lines that take more prominence in the mix, and really help to beef out the already substantial sound on this particular offering. This, coupled with the precise, intricate drumming patterns and the hellish gutturals, makes this one of the more impressive and enduring tracks on this record, and it's safe to say that there isn't a dull moment on this lengthy and expansive song. The penultimate fourth track, "Only Death Is Real", is a really solid, catchy track, with some confidently performed guitar hooks and hideous vocal growls that it's hard not to get caught up in. The final track on this record, a cover of "Supposed to Rot" by ENTOMBED, from their classic "Left Hand Path" record, closes this record on a high note. This definitely stays true to the sound and aspects that made the original so good, but the band inject it with their own vicious and rawer sound. It's a great homage to a Death Metal classic.

This is a really solid slab of gnarly, old school Death Metal. It does an excellent job of drawing together and paying homage to a wide variety of different influences, without ever really straying into realms of parody or imitation. This is one of, if not the best, records this band has released in their short history, and hopefully it will be the first of many great records to come. If you appreciate old school Death Metal in the vein of ENTOMBED or DISMEMBER, this is an album that should be on your radar.