At the early ages of Old School Metal genres (what mean those bands from the second half of the 90s on that plays genres of Metal of the past), the bands were just copying what was left in the sands of time by the pioneers and ancients using the excuse of ‘giving continuity’ (as some still insist to say to hide their lack of personality, or even to be a pimp Metal things). But from the beginning of the past decade on, many acts learned what the words ‘to have a personality’ mean, and started to bring life into their works. One fine example is from the Death Metal quintet MONASTERY (not the Dutch one who shared a split with SINISTER, because this one here hails from Zalaegerszeg, Zala, Hungary) with “From the Blood”. Old School Death Metal is what these guys are up to, and after 34 years of fights into underground (with some hiatuses in between), nothing could be expected from them. But hold your horses, readers: these guys bear a strong and savage personality, because some ‘updates’ that are clearly heard on their music (as some disturbing Blackened Death Metal subjective melodies heard on “Pulled Into Stake”, and even some parts with grove into the melodic lines).

It’s a combination of a defined musical work with essential new traces inherited from the experienced, and the ability to not deny to use what they want just to ‘keep things true and Old School’. And this guarantees a personality behind such Old School brutal approach and energy. “From Blood” got the fingerprints of Zoltán Cserfalvi (a known sound engineer from Hungary who already worked with AZAGHAL) in the production, recordings and mixing. His work allows the band to sound brutal and old fashioned on music, but defined and sharp in the whole sonority of the album. It’s a fine work indeed, and fits in the songs of the band perfectly.

As an Old School Death Metal act, the quintet uses the albums 32 minutes to impose a massive musical onslaught that can erode necks. But to deal with songs as “River of the Fallen Souls” (excellent rhythmic shifts from fast to slow tempos, always guided by a strong and weighty work of bass guitar and drums, and pay attention to the guitar arrangements to check as these pioneers learned some new lessons), “Dreadful Thing” (where the Old School side of their music becomes evident in the whirl of massive riffing of the guitars, with excellent groove parts and arrangements), “Faceless Nothing” (charming rhythmic contrasts can be heard on this one), “Pulled Into Stake” (one of the greatest moments of the album, where the influences of the past and present creates a perfect song for a live show, with excellent grunts and guitars’ parts), “Dire Warnings” (another old fashioned Death Metal song filled with a carnivorous binding energy), and “Continue to Suffer” is really a pleasure. The pimps that live off the past would blush of shame of hearing such good work.

MONASTRY is that kind of band that really makes Old School Death Metal matter again. A bit on “From Blood” is enough to state this.