STORM UPON THE MASSES is a Belgium Death Metal band, who released an EP in 2015.  Their latest album is their first full length, "The Ones Who Came Back."  The album's artwork paints quite the epic adventure—what appears to be medieval archers attempting to fight off dragons and some sort of giant otherworldly creature.  Those poor bastards will probably have their faces ripped off, which is the same fate those who listen to this album will be rendered.  In short, this album is a 37 long neck snap—from beginning to end, it is a ride that rarely lets up. I found this album to a perfect bridge between Death Metal and Brutal Death—it is an incredibly intense album but not too over the top.  I think it could do with a bit more variety but there are those who will disagree that Death Metal needs that in the first place.

The production is rather clear—which, normally, isn't something I really need in a Death Metal band but I'm making an exception for this album because it allows the razor sharp guitar tone to shine through amazingly.  Sandor and Jurgen have without a doubt put in their dues because they fill the songs with riff after riff-everything from groove to just freight train heavy makes an appearance.  These guys know what they want to play and play it well.  The riffs are fast and deep, the bass is a constant throb of devastation and the drums are intense as anything I've heard the past year.  Any DM band worth their salt needs a damn good foundation—Bart and Tom provide quite the support and backbone.

"Cyclonic Entity," opens with some ambient noises, a brief spoken word section, then the damn explodes. The song title is perfect–every instrument works in tandem to make a swirling natural elemental of destruction that is might as well be alive. Blistering riffs open up "Rising Darkness," so sharp and focused they could cut skin if forged into a physical presence. The band is at their best when they settle into a groove while Brecht spits out his growl with an uncanny ability to add a rhythmic flow to his brutal, deep Death growls.

The song's middle portion is filled with riffs that alternate between choppy bites and that old school groove; it is the perfect combination for keeping the music brutal but interesting."Assault Inferior Domains," is perhaps the most engaging track on the album.  At first listen, it seems to be just another speedy track, but multiple listens reveal the musicianship within—the riffs and vocals play off each other perfectly and change up their pace at the same time.  It makes for a very condensed, intense song that constantly sounds like it will jump out of the headphones and throttle you.

The album has a brief respite with "The Arrival," a short interlude.  No doubt it makes sense to the band to be placed at this spot.  However, as a listener, it really kills the flow of the album especially with it just so close to the end-just two more tracks come after it, one of which is the title track.That title track, "The Ones Who Came Back," is the most intense on the album—the audio equivalent of beat by a pillowcase full of hammers. The song's middle portion is mind bending in its heaviness.  "Sworn To Blasphemy," is the last track and another rager. If the title track beats you into a coma then this track is the one that buries you anyway.  About halfway thru the song, the tempo and direction of the song changes but none of the song loses its energy.

"The Ones Who Came Back" is an extremely solid Death Metal album—one that immediately displays STORM UPON THE MASSES' talent while laying down a good path for the future.