Occasionally there are some bands I come across where I can only wonder how on earth I possibly missed having heard about them before; one such band is the relatively new Blackened Death Metal band ODEM, a band that transcends and shatters all limits of brutality and speed with effortless ease. Having been formed in Russia in just 2008, they have since then unleashed a total of three releases: a demo, a full-length album, and an EP. The latter of these, "The Valley of Cut Tongues" was released in April 2013, and this work marks the unbridling of uneasy and unsettling brutality which nicely blends in a more evil undertow thanks to the subtle Black Metal influences, and is a tempestuous onslaught which sweeps the listener away in the maelstrom of inhuman fury.

With a total of four tracks with an overall playing time of just over 20 minutes, this EP very firmly adopts a "take no prisoners" kind of approach, and will ravage your senses with unrelenting and unremitting sheer viciousness. The first track is an alternative version of the song "Nails as the Weapon of Hatred", which is taken off of their first album, and which immediately captures your attention with the heavy riffage and brutal blast beats, later on incorporating slower and more jarring melodies with more frenetic onslaughts of rapidity. With a more polished and less raw sound, this new version is still undeniably malicious, and brutally throws the listener right into the deep end. This then launches straight into "Cult of Flesh", which takes this frantic charge to a new level, whilst the vocals here being low and guttural, adding a healthy dose of savagery to the song. This track seems a veritable attempt at shattering the sound barrier with cataclysmic riffage, insane drumming, and vocals of pure devastation. The penultimate track, "Healing Catalepsy", remains in this fast vein of pure adrenalin-pumping speed. However, this amalgamates a lighter atmosphere into the composition, which adds some nice variety to "The Valley of Cut Tongues". However, this is done in such a way that none of the savage brutality is lost; instead, the lighter melodies serve to further enhance the harshness. The final track is "Satanskin" in which Brutal Death Metal really shines through, being more reminiscent of bands such as CANNIBAL CORPSE.

What I really enjoyed was the unpredictability of the songs; with innovative and unexpected twists throughout that keep things fresh and interesting. Each of the band members adds something new and special to the album, seeming to spurn each other on to reaching new depths of depravity. The sound is also perfectly balanced, being clean enough to distinguish each instrument without any compromise in brutality. The only improvement would have been if the bass had been more prominent. As the album currently stands, the bass is all too often lost, and could have amped up the heaviness of the album to the extreme.

Nevertheless, "The Valley of Cut Tongues" is a strong EP that showcases the relentless furry, blistering and searing speed, and devastating destruction that can be mustered by these Russians. If you are a fan of Brutal Death Metal with Black Metal influences, and have never heard of this band before, I would definitely recommend that you check out this band: they will blow you away. This EP is a declaration of sonic warfare to which there is no alternative response but total and unrestrained surrender: ODEM have an exceptional sound and this band has the potential to take the Metal world by storm.