Review: “Crown Of Flies” by Relic

Recorded at Belle City Sound in Racine Wisconsin in November 2025 with Produced by Chris Wisco (Novembers Doom, Morbid Saint, Casket Robbery) before being mixed and mastered by Billy Diamond, the first taped confession from Milwaukee Blackened Death Metal quartet Relic is called “Crown Of Flies“. It’s the work of a collection of veterans of the scene in guitarist and bassist Kevin Forsythe (Jungle Rot, Emblazoned), vocalist Jeff Plewa (Micawber, Emblazoned), drummer Alex “Pulverizer” Pulvermacher (Decrescent, Emblazoned) and guitarist Vinny Alvarez (A Night At The Chalet, Slam Pig), all of whom have a love of the underground…

Plewa’s demonic introduction to “The Void Between Gods” serves as a warning of the violence to come before a pulverising first verse separates flesh from bone with bare bloody hands in the finest possible way. Punishing dissonant riffage and pummelling percussive battery are the order of the day, the caustic vocals burning like wire during an assault on the senses that hits harder than a prize fighter. A little whammy bar action adds an embellishment to the brutal “Filth Of Rebirth” but is cleverly buried in the mix, placed behind the pulsating rhythmic attack so it feels more like a nuance than a necessity. Perhaps that’s because the because the band don’t want to sharpen their blades, instead preferring the jackhammer footwork and buzzsaw rhythm guitars to do the damage.

Showing no remorse or repent the blistering “Scavengers Daughter” smashes the clock in fear as another sub three minute blunt force trauma that feels like getting slapped in the face by a concrete paving slab. Lyrically depraved and vocally downright evil, this one does have a little more of a sinister edge to the sonic abrasions with a little bit of lead adding some more atmosphere to the punishment beating. Giving the devil his due “Iron Sacrament” goes a little lower and a little slower with a groove laden Death Metal riff that provides the darkness for necessary evil to unfurl its wings. Plewa spits blood and venom over the savage percussion and cutting guitars, a warm handshake at the gates of hell guaranteed with this lethal dose of American hatred [8/10]

1. The Void Between Gods

2. Filth Of Rebirth

3. Scavengers Daughter

4. Iron Sacrament