Italian Death Metal band MASS MURDER has released their second album "Extreme Extinction", following 2015's "Aracnofrenik." Throughout its twenty-two minutes, the band takes the listener into a brutal, sick, full-on aural assault. The colourful album cover gives a peculiar air of insanity that goes perfectly with the record's alien concept.

Static, weird sound effects and pure noise opens "No Mercy (Intro)". Some crunchy riffing and full band instrumental punchiness appear a couple of seconds later. There is an interesting use of massive flanger effects on some of the percussion, sounding really alien, fitting with the concept and imagery. A mix of busy and atmospheric intro. The title track comes next, putting the emphasis on extreme with its brutal drumming and groovy, syncopated riffing. Alessandro Sarni goes feral and manic behind the drum kit. The cymbals and hi-hats sound as crisp and bright as needed, stressing its solid production. A technical and complex song.

"Refused Fate" and "The Ancient Blade of Suffering" highlight the technical and proggy aspects of MASS MURDER's songwriting, the former with its nasty bass work amidst the frantic, breakneck speed drumming; the latter with its spidery guitar work and undulating basslines.

Some of the heaviest tracks on this nasty and belligerent record come with "Nourished Pain" and "Ruthless Judgment" Simply brutal. The whole band meshes into an impenetrable wall of sound. Some Black Metal influences bleed into the sound on "Nourished Pain" even.

Closer "Disembowelment Form Impurity" plays around with some odd time signatures and makes for an impressive finale, with strong instrumentation that allows itself to breathe a little more than in previous tracks with a few, additional seconds. Some great interplay between Aldo Gorgoglione and guest vocalist Luis Maggio of BLOODTRUTH and SUDDEN DEATH. Album gets bookended by the same atmospheric sounds of the intro.

The short length of both, its individual tracks and the record overall, contributes to the sense of urgency it conveys. MASS MURDER show a bit of that technical edge from classic Death Metal records, like "Human" by DEATH, on "Extreme Extinction." Sarni gets to show-off through the whole album, his drumming is superb and one of the main highlights, especially his outstanding double kick work. The whole band excels on their own duties, but Francesco Corcio has to be recognized as he really knows his way around riff-building. Guitar solos are missed. Having at least one or two on the whole 22-minute length would have been great.