Moral Putrefaction is a death metal band from India that formed in 2015. This self-titled album is their full-length debut but they released a demo in 2019. This album is definitely two feet in the grave of old-school death metal. However, it also fuses black metal and tech elements into this concoction as well. As a result, the band has a familiar groove that fits right at home with the best of the late 80’s/early 90’s death metal scene but it doesn’t sound like a copycat—the band definitely has their own sound. The production is raw and rough but in an enjoyable way—it truly sounds menacing and even a little scary. The riffs have a real grit to them and the bass/drums have a heart to their tone. As far as this style is concerned, it sounds perfect.

The vocals are amazing and a highlight of the album—deep but more abrasive and throaty than a standard growl/gurgle. To top it all, a lot of the lyrical flow and cadence is surprisingly catchy—and I don’t consider that a bad element at all to have. Although the album as a whole isn’t something I would call melodic, it does have moments here and there of such pronounced flourishes, especially in the guitar solos. “Serpent's Gaze,” uses slightly melodic tinged riffs to open the song before turning into a tumultuous riff fest, steadily riding that often thin line between death and black metal. I love how the drums, specifically the double bass, send down rolling ways of thunder to match the heavier vocal deliveries. The middle part of the song is absolute carnage with subtle flairs of technical prowess on display to add some twists on the old school variation.

The album can be atmospheric, when called upon. “Divine Retribution,” begins with ominous tones before a total doom metal fest enters: slow, thick riffs and a heavy handed rhythm machine send this death march ever forward. After 1:52 mark, the song lashes out like a wounded album with a new found wind of energy. It’s fast, razor sharp, and brutal like only death metal can be. The album ends with “Beneath Saffron Skies,” and it’s a banger. Once again, the drums compliment the music, working in tandem with the riffs to create a deep, robust sound within seconds. Tech death elements, which are more subtle than in your face, add a lot of dynamic details to the song without going overboard.

All in all, MORAL PUTREFACTION’s self-titled debut is very strong and it will be interesting to see what the band comes up with next. Fans of cold-as-a-grave death metal will find much here to enjoy but it’s dynamic enough to align with a lot of different tastes.