16th August 2025

Review: “Horror” by Brutta

Three years after 2022’s self titled debut album found Brutta unleashing 33 minutes forged in fury, moulded by malevolence and painted in Blackened Death Metal, the band trio return with a second taped confession. Once again produced, mixed and mastered by bassist Tom MacLean (Athemon, ex-Haken) at Twelve Tone Studio, “Horror” finds him joined by drummer Gledson Gonçalves (Coliseum) alongside guitarist and vocalist Adriano Ribeiro (Athemon) for seven further tales of death, the dying and the damned…

A second 33 minute long album “Horror” begins with “Fantasma“, a cut upon which Ribeiro promises to haunt your mind, tearing you apart from the inside out. Gang chants, choral parts and harsh whispers help built a sense of tension you can cut with a knife before the bitter end of this monstrously dramatic opening undertaking and there is even time for a fleeting whammy bar drop solo. “Moribund” sounds like it was torn from the playbook of early Sepultura, razor wire riffs accompanying the unhinged cries of Ribeiro as he plays the role of a demonic serial killer, threatening to pull the suffering inside out. Each track sounds crisp and clean allowing the darkness to ooze from every pore, the bands relentless approach ensuring great flow between the tracks. As a track “Exorcism” is exactly that, reminiscent of the infamous scenes in The Exorcist during which Father Karras does what he does. The twist in the tale however is that this is the reverse of that scenario with the call for the devil to help exorcise Jesus from the body to allow darkness to prevail. Swirling Death Metal rhythms create an oppressive atmospheric and in all honesty there is absolutely nothing cheesy to it – it could be a low budget horror film scene.

Exploring the primal side of human nature “Cannibal” is the tale of keeping the victim alive as they beg to be consumed. An old school video nasty, it finds Ribeiro playing the protagonist armed with a chainsaw, trapped in the space between desire and destruction. A whirlwind of percussive battery and abrasive guitars accompany the this one, which has obvious roots to the Florida Death Metal scene of the 90’s and again, its incredibly well balanced. Ribeiro’s vocal style means there is no mistaking what he’s saying and there can be no misheard lyrics, he is Hannibal Lecter and he’s come for your soul. If that wasn’t dark and sinister enough for you then “Alleluia” with is muscular riffage and spoken word moments calls for you to turn your back on God and endure the pain that alters. Necessary but not lethal.

Mimicking the eternal bloodlust of Dracula the restless and relentless rhythms of “Dracul” ensure that this take on the Romanian tale is one of the darkest ones. Ribeiro deserves a lot of credit as a fantastic storyteller, his ability to inject the dramatics into this one with multiple voices and tones making all the difference. Serving as the lyrical title track “Vermibus” feels like the sequel to “Cannibal“, the protagonist seeking to preserve the consciousness of his victim once the body has rotted away. A vicious track that brings together everything that the band have done to date, it will send a shiver down the spine and isn’t for the weak of mind or faint of heart because Ribeiro has the ability to paint portraits in your minds eye that once seen can never be unseen… [8/10]

Track Listing