Not amazing, but a solid death/grindcore debut effort
You could hardly call them a death metal supergroup, but if you look at the list of acts the four members of Reign of Vengeance have been associated with in the past, it’s clear that the band certainly keep some impressive company. After a lengthy four years between releases (the last being 2007’s Revenge by Bloodshed E.P. from 2007), the Scottsdale (Arizona, U.S.) based four piece outfit (comprising of published author/Rebirth vocalist Marshall ‘Fucking’ Beck, Motive/Rebirth guitarist Tommy Gibbons, AinMatter/Cephalic Carnage bassist Nick Schendzielos and Decrepit Birth/Abigail Williams drummer Sam ‘Samus’ Paulicelli) are back with their debut full-length effort Disemboweling Swine – The band’s first release on Brain Damage Music, the music label established by Brain Damage Films.
Given the member’s history, the label their signed to and the rather graphic artwork adorning the cover of their latest release, you pretty much know what you’re in for here – and that’s extreme death metal. And sure enough, Reign of Vengeance delivers plenty of death metal to keep fans more than entertained for its entire 33 minutes.
The band get things off to a pummelling start with the title track Disemboweling Swine, which not only showcases their ability to deliver death metal with technical precision, but their willingness to throw a little more of a grinding influence into their song writing with the various background shrieking vocals and the overall density on the production front.
The more groove driven In the Club with a Chainsaw doesn’t stray too far from the template of the opener, but does boast some great lead work to really give the song that something special, while the intense blast of She’s Best Kept Headless and He Hates His Fucking Job, He Hates His Fucking Wife, He Hates His Fucking Life maintains a destructive vibe.
Despite its humorous premise, A Massacre of Mormons doesn’t quite work with its somewhat off-kilter timing and mix of styles, while As Seen on TV just seems to have little going for it at all. But barring the couple of missed targets, the band’s aim seems to be true on the Deicide-like A Misfortunate Ride (The Goregrinders) (one of the few tracks where Schendzielos’ bass work really stands out), the straight forward crushing death metal delivery of The Unwanted Intruders and the album’s strongest effort A Tradition of Bloodshed.
Disemboweling Swine isn’t the greatest death metal/goregrind album I’ve ever heard, and Reign of Vengeance aren’t exactly doing anything new outside of what bands such as Macabre and Cephalic Carnage have done better in the past. But Reign of Vengeance’s debut is a solid and enjoyable release nonetheless, and that’s enough to warrant further investigation from those interested.
(Brain Damage Music)
