Review: “Self Titled” by Sermon To The Lambs

A debut burnt offering from Chilean Brutal Death Metal trio Sermon To The Lambs is one mixed and mastered by the band’s own Victor Araneda (In Asymmetry, First Degree Murder,  Supreme Banishment) as well as being wrapped in artwork by the infamous Par Olofsson (Winds Of Plague, Unleashed, Thy Art Is Murder). The product of two years of crafting in Concepción from a line up with extensive experience in extreme music, having done time in the likes of In Asymmetry, Esophagus, Disownment and The Macabre, it promises to bring plague and pestilence to this land…

The journey to self immolation in the depths of hell begins with the brutal “Crowned King of the Worms” a track which takes influence from the 90’s Florida Death Metal scene as vocalist Richard Aguayo harnesses his inner Glen Benton, spitting blood and venom over barbed yet darkly atmospheric riffage. Victor Araneda has managed to get the best out of a somewhat primitive drum sound, taking what the likes of Mauricio Marín did with Twitch Of The Death Nerve and enhancing it to the point where it can inflict more damage than walking barefoot on broken glass. Eponymous cut “Sermon to the Lambs” is sonic equivalent of a sandblasting for the ear canals, punching with the force of the steel fist of Terminator as Aguayo demonstrates his throat shredding vocal prowess. If anything the surprise is just how much weighty groove Mauro M. packs into the riffs, the down tuned mayhem of “Spitting in the Church of Nazarene” a masterclass in old school American Death Metal. If it wasn’t obvious from the artwork, this album is one of those where you really need a magnifying glass and a lyric sheet to fully appreciate it because Aguayo’s throat is more of a instrument of mass destruction that offering anything you can comprehend – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. “Maximum Apostasy” hits hard with some glorious tempo shifts as those blood gargling vocals enhance an atmosphere which writhes within an aura of ancient rites and occult rituals.

Jackhammer footwork and bursts of blasting elevates the vicious little ditty that is “Saints are Centurions of an Aristotelian Christ” to another realm of existence as the menacing and sinister riffs flow like blood from the veins because what is blood for if not for shedding? There is malicious intent in the glorious torture that is “Flagrum Taxillatum“, a cut that uses some tremolo picked parts rather than leads; the bands style choice being one of rhythmic pummelling whereby no amount of blood is going to stop the punches from hitting home. There is also a strangely eerie quality to the piece as well, the band offering almost soothing comfort in complete annihilation rather that creating something that would serve as the sound to cause sleep deprivation amongst the inmates at Guantanamo Bay. By the time “Scourging at the Pillar” rears its ugly head Aguayo is flirting with Slam vocals, growling his way through the lyric sheet like a man possessed by a demon from the black depths. “God Spat and the Man was Done” introduces some staccato riff breaks as the percussion pops and bursts, the fretboard smouldering with the sonic intensity of the churn and burn riffage. Something wicked lurks in the shadows of intent, the place where Gods fear to tread and yet there is more scorn and wrath with each subsequent track, nuances bleeding through the bandages with each repeated listen.

“Clergy’s Malevolence” feels like an uncontrolled vicious assault on the senses; the trio hammering home their credentials with one final lethal dose of South American hatred. The guitars burn like wire before a sonic break of ethereal qualities, the sounds of ancient ritual paving the way for a pair of additional tracks, renditions of “God Spat and the Man was Done” and “Clergy’s Malevolence” that feature guest vocals from Jeff Page of Manifestations. His dry, raspy tones add another dimension, giving the cuts a different depth and texture and while they’re not strictly necessary, they are an intriguing addition to the violent delights of this record. Pandora’s box has been opened and now the malevolent creatures walk amongst us… [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Crowned King of the Worms
2. Sermon to the Lambs
3. Spitting in the Church of Nazarene
4. Maximum Apostasy
5. Saints are Centurions of an Aristotelian Christ
6. Flagrum Taxillatum
7. Scourging at the Pillar
8. God Spat and the Man was Done
9. Clergy’s Malevolence
10. God Spat and the Man was Done (ft. Jeff Page of Manifestations)
11. Clergy’s Malevolence (ft. Jeff Page of Manifestations)

“Self Titled” by Sermon To The Lambs is out 6th March 2026 via Comatose Music and is available over at bandcamp