LAY DOWN ROTTEN is a German Death Metal band, formed in 1999. Over the time they managed to keep playing sophisticated and varied Death Metal the old school way handling modern playing styles along the way. They found style that`s somewhere in between Brutal, melodic, Sweden and U.S. Death, with never lacking diversity, enabling them not to get stuck playing same songs over and over again, like many bands of the genre do, always creating something new without losing their style or being repeated.

"Deathspell Catharsis" is their seventh full-length album to be released, this time by Apostasy Records. The recording of the album was completed in August this year, and the release was scheduled for November, but due few complications it`s been delayed for the beginning of the next year. For the artwork of the new album was recruited once again Japanese artist Toshihiro Egawa, who did an amazing job.

The album opens up with "Cassandras Haunting", which is the longest track on the album. It takes a while to adjust yourself to the style of the band, and the harsh vocals, but when adjusting is done, you`re in a hell of a ride. The tracks come one after the other straight at you. Getting a break with track no.5 "Release Into Nothingness" which is the acoustic one, lasting bit stronger than minute of time, the journey through hell continues with "Zombiefied Electrified", all the way to the end. The tracks are rather long, around six minutes long (few seconds more, less) but it doesn`t affect the quality of the song. There`s no part where you get that "I`m bored, skipping to next track" feeling. Just when that feeling is about to show its face, the track changes into something else, whether it`s the vocals, the bass line or the guitar riffs (which are by the way my favorite parts of this album, especially in "Among the Ruins of a Once Glorious Temple").

The only way one can describe "Deathspell Catharsis" in short is - the album is purely hypnotic. I`m not sure how the guys of LAY DOWN ROTTEN managed to do it, or was it their original idea, but they pulled it off. Once you start playing the album, you won`t be able to stop listening. Though the anger is the main "feeling" on the album, you may find whole spectra of all the other emotions, wisely hidden beneath.

If you are into Death Metal, or you`re just exploring the genre, this album is one of the "must hear" ones.