To use the old and putrid forms of Death Metal isn’t a hard thing to do, once the path is defined since the coming of the Second Wave of Death Metal on late 80s. But’s a double-edge knife, because relying on old formulas means that you have to put something of your own on the music, what means that you input a personality on the music. And the Romanian quartet PUTRED shows the need for some evolution on “Megalit al putrefacției”, its second full-length. The quartet follows a trend into Old School Death Metal, the putrid classic form of the genre as stated by early Death Metal acts as AUTOPSY, MORBID ANGEL, CARNAGE, BOLT THROWER, old EDGE OF SANITY and others. The band prefers to use slower tempos to express its ideas, what makes the weight become even more clear (but obviously that some fast drumming in some moments can be heard).

It's putrid and intense, and full of energy, but the band needs to sharp a bit more its efforts to have a more personal outfit. Oh, the guests on the album: George Alb (of CRUMBLE, DECEASE and OMNITROCY) play the drums, and Spurcăciune (A.KA. Bogdan, of COLD BRATS, ROTHEADS and VOID FORGER) play guitars on “Critical Madness”. Uriel (the band’s guitarist) worked as producer, and did the recordings, mixing and mastering as well. The efforts were to breed something organic and classic as Death Metal sounded on the early days of the Second Wave. It’s not bad at all, but some instrumental tunes could be better (especially on the drums). And the artwork of Jan Pysander Whitney fits on what the band plays (even with colors that are unusual for the genre).

After the intro “Obidă” (yes, the band uses its natural language on its lyrics), the Old School Death Metal storm is presented on “Dominare malefică”, “Aură macabră”, “Spectre torturate”, “Necromanție”, “Megalit al putrefacției”, “Părăsit în purgatoriu”, “Inscripții antice” and “Era morbiditații”, all of them being good songs of the genre and full of very good ideas to be expanded in the future, and even a very good technical work (especially on the drums). And their version for “Critical Madness” for the pioneers of AUTOPSY shows the similarities between their music and of their influences. Again: the quartet is on the right track, just need to sharp its musical efforts (and maybe a better production, just to make things better).

PUTRED is that kind of band that Old School Death Metal fans will love, and “Megalit al putrefacției” shows potential.