Review: “Self Titled” by Meltification

Hailing from Copenhagen Denmark and taking influences from the late 80’s and early 90’s era of Earache Records bands, Meltification are a two piece Death Metal infused Grindcore band quite like no other. Formed by Tue Sprogø (Death Token, Asbest, Deformation), a veteran of the Copenhagen Hardcore scene and former Imperious Mortality drummer Thomas Rindom, between them the pair have inked no less than eighteen angry anthems for their self titled record. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Lasse Ballade (Terminalist, Strychnos, Pathologist), the promise is of hectic blast beats and crushingly heavy grooves with flavours of Hardcore Punk and Thrash Metal… 

If you hadn’t already worked it out, Tue Sprogø handles guitars, bass and vocals leaving Thomas Rindom drums alone, which is probably for the best because, as they say, idle hands are the devil’s workshop. The party starts with the duo throwing the hand grenade that is “Turmoil” over the fence, a track which instantly brings to mind Max Caverlera’s Nailbomb with the fierce, barked vocal and breakneck speed of the Thrash Metal riffs which fly in all directions. “Midian” repeats the trick, creating a certain sense of chaos, that feeling that its all happening so fast that the train could be derailed at any moment. The adrenaline rush of it all should be enough to put an evil grin on your face, momentary respite coming from feedback before “Assembly Line Of Horror” annihilates the weak as the longest cut on the record at just 185 seconds. Relentless blast beats and rapid fire chord changes leave fingers bleeding, drumsticks splintered and fret-boards smoking, the intensity of the performance awe inspiring.

Sounding like Soulfly playing Discharge covers in there rehearsal space “Nuclear Death Threat” has that Hardcore Punk vibe nailed with a earworm riff in the second half that is as fearfully addictive as they come. “Leech” finds the duo at their most hostile, cutting through flesh with their politically charged and socially aware sonic abrasions like a Lumberjack with a chainsaw. “River Of Torment” could be renamed “River Of Blood” because its depiction of the living hell of death is that gloriously nasty that Chad Green from Frozen Soul will want to drag them out on tour. If you’ve got any brains left for pulverising then “Raw Hate Inferno” will complete the task when it comes around, the duo demonstrating their ability to create something that has a message despite being so damn intense. You could be forgiven for thinking you were zapped into some CKY when “Hellscape” begins, the instrumental weaving web inspired by Stoner Metal at the tempo of the damned. In all fairness it works well because it offers a moment to breathe, meaning that “A.I.mageddon” can hit like a brick to the skull.

One of the biggest surprises of the record is arguably the haunting acoustic cut “Hellscape Part 2” which sounds like something you might expect to hear as the calm before the storm in a Spaghetti Western. Gene Hoglan better not hear “Memento Gory” because the kit performance from Rindom reaches inhuman levels before “Wargod” doubles down. The old school Death Metal riffs of the later are absolute class, the duo knowing how to put the pedal to the metal when they see fit. There are gang chants on “Doomsday Horde Caravan” that add a spice that’s nice, the blistering guitar work somehow managing to maintain a menacing and sinister atmosphere. It’s not quite blink and you’ll miss it but it feels like being hit by a burst of automatic gunfire full in the chest. Taking a break from the all out, full caffeine, high energy assault on the senses instrumental “Fragments” feels like a riff that was written to honour the legacy of Kirk Windstein and Crowbar. Why not? It sounds cool!

The chaos engine resumes perpetual forward motion with the savage “Mass Hypnosis“, the war drums pounding the march of death. Are you sure you want that tenth espresso? You don’t need it when you hear this one because the in your face nature of this beast is more than enough to get the adrenaline pumping. There’s more too it than meets the ear too so you’re going to want to find a magnifying glass and the lyric sheet once the headbanging is over because everything has that depth of meaning. “Lycanthropic Brutality” is one that actually sounds unfinished, like there was another verse and chorus but instead it stops on a dime to catch you off guard which makes it hilariously good fun. “Calculated Demise” then brings a little Bolt Thrower influence to the table, the classic 90’s Death Metal roots of the duo on display for all to witness. It has a tasteful pomp and circumstance between lethal blast beat passages and brutal screams which works really well. “Final Ritual” steps away from the Grindcore a little bit and is more of a faster Death Metal and finishes the record on a monstrous high. The verve and swagger of these songs tell you that the pair have a great chemistry, their decades of experience going along way to creating a record which is as close as some will come to sitting in the electric chair [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Turmoil
2. Midian
3. Assembly Line Of Horror
4. Nuclear Death Threat
5. Leech
6. River Of Torment
7. Raw Hate Inferno
8. Hellscape
9. A.I.mageddon
10. Hellscape Part 2
11. Memento Gory
12. Wargod
13. Doomsday Horde Caravan
14. Fragments
15. Mass Hypnosis
16. Lycanthropic Brutality
17. Calculated Demise
18. Final Ritual

“Self Titled” by Meltification is out 29th May 2026 via Extremely Rotten Productions