It’s hard to ask an old band to change their ways, because the musical roots can’t be changed (there are many that changed their ways, as THERION did). To evolve is another idea that can be denied and the bands can be good as others that are constantly evolving (AC/DC is a fine example of a band that never changed its ways and it’s always good). Many factors that can’t be explained in few words enter the account. Such words justify the work of the Finnish quartet PURTENANCE, a pioneer and veteran that is releasing their fifth album, “The Rot Within Us”. The quartet shows a musical work based on an Old School Death Metal way (it’s nothing hard to understand such appeal if one thinks that they’re on the road since 1989), inspired by acts as DEATH, POSSESSED and others from the same days.

One can feel the presence of elements of Hardcore and Thrash Metal into the mix, because they’re the early influences of the genre. They play in the most traditional way into Death Metal, in a raw and murky form that is filled with energy and life. But as well, this album’s songs depict honesty and passion of a band that still have some lessons to teach. The band worked with Jaakko Viitalähde on the mastering, and chose to have the old and good Old School Death Metal sonority for the album: it’s that bleak, aggressive and raw as a band of the Second Wave of Death Metal, but with a more understandable outfit (what means that the fans will have no problems in absorbing the songs). And what excellent artwork on the cover, a creation of Chris Moyen (the use of only black and white was really a fine choice to depict what the songs are up to).

Musically, this offering of 8 Death Metal songs with an Old School appeal is really charming. And songs as “Mournful Echoes” (that shows some elements of Old School Doom Death Metal on its half, before exploding into a fast and manic musical expression with very good grunts), “Transitory Soul of the Righteous” (a slow and classic appeal of Death Metal can be heard, but with some technical elements on bass guitar and drums in some moments), “Unseen Sphere of Realities” (again a song that has some very good rhythms, but based on dusty and funereal ambiences created by the guitars on their arrangements), “An Invisible Master” (wow, these eerie guitars are amazing, based on classical tempos of the genre), and “Nekromantik Spiritualism” will find the straight and right way into Death Metal maniacs’ hearts for sure.

Maybe one could say that “The Rot Within Us” is an album that isn’t recreating Death Metal, but what could one ask more the band? PURTENANCE is an honest and very good act, and deserves praise.