Review: “Centuries of Blindness” by Morrath

“With “Centuries of Blindness” we want to express our understanding of death metal – our favorite genre, it expresses our feelings and emotions, our views. No less important was the willingness to release an album that will be good and worth returning to it – we have dreamt about it since Prowler times, at the beginning of our music voyage, when we even could not play our instruments” ~ Morrath

Formed from the ashes of Polish Thrash Metal act Prowler in 2020 with a decision to rebrand rather than genre shift, Death Grinders Morrath presented their virgin sacrifice to the Metal Gods with an EP titled “Inhumanity Enthroned” in 2021. That established the new entity as having a style close to the American scene, inspired by acts from early 90’s like Morbid Angel, Deicide and Suffocation while including elements taken from styles like slam and classic grind core. Thematically the band deal with inner struggles and anti-religious rhetoric something which continues into “Centuries of Blindness”, a debut full length album recorded at Tetra Wave Studio in Poland with Krzysztof Kostencki (Across The Void, Kaozm, Sothoris) who recorded, produced, mixed and mastered. Cover art was created by the bands bassist Mieszko Jankowski…

The bowel clenching gravelly lows of vocalist Mateusz Hertmanowski alongside incendiary, fiery and frenetic riffs from guitarists Bartek Maśląkowski and Szymon Wyrwiński set the building on fire with blistering opening cut “No God to Come“. It sets a very high bar for the rest of the album to live up to, especially with the nostalgic rip roaring solo that echoes those of 90’s American scene the band are inspired by. It isn’t a flash in the pan either as “Where Salvation Meets the Rot” maintains the ridiculously high energy levels with a flamboyant bass solo from Jankowski and a death defying scream from Hertmanowski that the FBI will consider using as the soundtrack for the interrogations they carry out. Flying out of the gates of hell “Crimson Demons” showcases the talents of Miłosz Maik behind the kit who is able to offer up some incredible fills during a rampage through Death Metal debauchery that is a true force of nature. Hertmanowski sounds alien like and demonic while the fretboard smouldering incendiary solo over bursts of rhythmic battery is a new level of nirvana in Death Metal that would have Glen Benton applauding the band. Menacing and sinister “New God Exalted” is another furious undertaking that continues the neck snapping intensity and will no doubt go down a storm in the live arena, Maik blasting his way out of hell in impressive fashion with a nod to the work of legends like Kevin Talley or Dave Lombardo in the process.

Putting the pedal to the Metal, “Primal Addiction” gives us a tasteful Death Thrash whammy bar drop solo that perhaps nods back to the Prowler days as it plays out over the top of some lethal downtempo Deathcore inspired rhythmic prowess. The transitions are slick into and out of moments that have a real gut punch about them, the gauntlet being thrown down to others to dare attempt to match the qualities Morrath are able to display. Slam vocal moments are kept to an embellishment for the most part, Hertmanowski choosing to have his lyrics heard rather than requiring a magnifying glass and lyric sheet to be understood, “Spiral of Pain” arguably having the most in a near six minute long burst that is pure napalm for the ear drums. “Centuries of Blindness” is one of those albums that you just can’t imagine getting better as the band pull out all the stops and then suddenly they throw out a stomping rage fest of staccato riff breaks with squealing turn arounds and the jaw drops to the floor once more. “Undying Grief” feels like an old school Slayer cut with its dark and foreboding atmospherics, that is if they were fronted by George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, the contrast in dynamic between the guitars and skull crushing vocals making for a new way to brain haemorrhage. A palate cleaner in “Awaiting the Inevitable” allows grand finale “In the Crypts of Profanity” to slap that much harder, the pulverising rhythmic battery matching the best the scene has to offer. A flamboyant display of power, this one cleaves flesh from the bone while raising hairs on the back of the neck, the razor sharp riffs perfectly executed. Arise the new Kings of Polish Death Metal! [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. No God to Come
2. Where Salvation Meets the Rot
3. Crimson Demons
4. New God Exalted
5. Primal Addiction
6. Spiral of Pain
7. Undying Grief
8. Awaiting the Inevitable
9. In the Crypts of Profanity

“Centuries of Blindness” by Morrath is out 20th April 2023 and is available for pre-order over at bandcamp.