Review: “Descendants of Evil” by Human Compost

A Horror influenced Death Grind act hailing from Toronto, Canada Human Compost was conceived as a project back in 2008 by bassist Chris Sabbath and rhythm guitarist Eddie Pharoah but only took it’s final, deadly form between 2013 and 2014 when they were joined by drummer Allen L and vocalist Geoff Hodsman. They made their debut in 2016 with  album “From the Grave They Crawl” which was followed two years later by “Exhumations of Death and Horror“, both appearing via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions with lead guitarist Patrick Dizon later being brought into the fold. During that time they’ve shared stages with Immolation, Blood Incantation and Incinerate to name but a few, their stature growing like the groundswell before a coffin rises to the surface during floods. Now the Soldiers of darkness return for a third stab in the dark with “Descendants of Evil” which was recorded, mixed, mastered at Ecliptic Recordings by Hodsman with with main song writer Sabbath citing influences in Mortician, Autopsy and Cancer and Aaron Whitsell from Cropsy Maniac adding some guest solos…

As with any Horror influenced Death Grind act, the lyrical narrative isn’t for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, although you may need a magnifying glass and a copy of the lyric sheet to decipher the code, such is the brutality of the throat splitting delivery from Hodsman. He gives George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher a solid run for his money during his evil storytelling with several different voices being used to articulate the lyrical blood soaked crimes as if from the mind of Jeffrey Dahmer, from shriller moments to those that reach out and touch the void into Slam for just a dark moment or two to spice things up a little. Human Compost love that Old School Death Metal galloping style with cuts like “Veil Of Maggots” and “Night In The Crypt” giving us tasty Death Thrash inspired solos, while the groove of “Sawed In Half” is electric after the low budget horror sample that depicts the act brings it to life. As you might expect, the riffs are classically menacing with sinister edges in the longer cuts, while the solos drop out with an increase in intensity in the shorter ones, leading to a fiercer, darker sound.

The second half of the record breathes new life to reanimate the corpse with the latter tracks like “Network of Blood” and “Defiled, Tortured, Torn Apart” taking their lead from exploitation cinema with samples that leads into classic horror narratives from Hodsman. On these cuts he rages against a soundtrack of pure chugging blood and thunder, the later in particular being a real headbangers delight. Allen L deserves a lot of credit for his percussive performances with “Funerary Cannibalism” being a real stand out, frontloaded with jackhammer footwork, blasting and some really interesting fills but the last two cuts is where the atmosphere really paints the picture with that little bit more darkness as the band squeeze the last drop of blood and sweat from their performances. “Visions Within the Grave” is ushered in with some evilly vibrant leads that break to a ripper of solo before the skull crushing rhythms that are reminiscent of Skeletal Remains shatter the bones of those who would obstruct the bands path of total annihilation before the title track decimates the weak with slow crushing sections of pure dominance. Buzzsaw riffs gnaw at the brain like termites chewing through wood… [7/10]

Track Listing

1. Veil Of Maggots
2. Sawed In Half
3. Night In the Crypt
4. Corporealized
5. Tortures of the Female Flesh
6. Erotic Amputation
7. Network of Blood
8. Defiled, Tortured, Torn Apart
9. Funerary Cannibalism
10. The Possession
11. Visions Within the Grave
12. Descendants of Evil

“Descendants of Evil” by Human Compost is out 30th September 2022 via Cavernous Records