Review: “Abject Cruelty” by Last Retch

Since their 2021 self titled demo first reared its ugly head, Hamilton, Ontario Canadian Old School Death Metal dealers Last Retch have been eating away at the dark corners of our minds with themes of violence, witchcraft and cannibalism running through the veins of all of their cryptic writings. Inspired by the likes of Bolt Thrower, Carcass and Cannibal Corpse they have made their mark with their 2022 debut album “Sadism and Severed Head” adorned by artwork from renowned painter Paolo Girardi (Ageless Summoning, The Black Dahlia Murder, Revocation) creating a visual intensity to match the bands sound. 2024 saw the five piece offer up EP “Egotism“, a record which cemented their style with its buzzsaw riffs and bone crushing stomp the formula for their primal muscular sounds. Promising continued dedication to relentless riffing and unflinching heaviness “Abject Cruelty” is said to represent the suffering, plight, fears and harsh reality of our most vulnerable as the band watch their home town decay from all angles.

Since the aforementioned 2024 EP “Egotism” the band have seen original drummer Davis Maxwell (Vile Creature, Kawthra, Mourn) exit stage left, however he remains a vital cog in the wheel, producing, mixing and mastering “Abject Cruelty” as he has all their prior works. In his place the drum stool is now graced by Spencer Robson with original members Matt Fyke on bass and Derek Brzozowski on guitars alongside former Mortuary Slab pairing John Russell on guitarist and Finlay Blakelock on vocals.

An eerie, haunting introduction ushers in title track “Abject Cruelty” as the opening cut, a brutal ripsnorter of a tune that distantly echoes the kind of churn and burn riffage we’ve heard from the likes of Frozen Soul of late. A gear shift mid cut for a fleeting moment of Blackened Death Metal before returning to the mid tempo crush is a nice touch, the pure hatred in the vocal performance enough to drag you away kicking and screaming. Tasteful leads at the start of “Beasley Meth Merchants” take the discerning listener into Groove Death territory as Robson demonstrates his worth behind the kit, pummelling the naysayers into submission. The brutal barks of Blakelock are very much out of the 90’s Florida Death Metal sphere of influence and on “Dissecting the Leper” they’re a weapon of mass destruction, the single heaviest element of what Last Retch have to offer. There are a couple of fleeting shriller moments with which he demonstrates his range but in the main he sticks to the kind of register just below that of Glen Benton, so you get all the power as well as being able to just about comprehend the lyrics.

A track about a swamp dwelling murderer makes for evil listening and as “In the Polder They Reek” plays out his mind becomes depraved, perhaps by the putrid smell of the rotting corpses of his victims. Psychologically disturbing and told in the first person, it may not be one for the faint of heart or the weak of mind but the hammering percussion, rumbling bass and buzzsaw guitars drive home the coffin nails in style. There is verve and swagger from the band on this one only achieved when all the parts of their machine are well oiled and pulling together and its great to hear. An atmospheric solo is a really nice touch, adding finesse to this Stephen King like tale of abject horror.

Building burning intensity with the stench of evil in their atmosphere “Resinous Drip of Decay” slows things down a notch before returning to the mid tempo pummel of the earlier cuts, pulling the discerning listener through the meat grinder one moment at a time. Looking at the world through the lens of existential dread, this one hits home lyrically as hard as it does sonically, the slick riffs and subtle tempo shifts glorious in their malevolence. A headbangers delight “Dissolved in Lye (Down to Rot)” continues to inflict damage to the ear drums with Fyke getting a bass solo as the five piece flirt with Technical Death Metal for a moment. Its a fine line but for its menacing riffs and sinister urges, this one is arguably the stand out on the record.

Continuing the descent to madness “Oozing Pustules” delivers on all fronts with old school razor sharp riffs encased in modern production values meaning you get something for the present with a nostalgic look back the past glories of the genre in the style. The only issue with this, if you could call it that, is that it could easily go on for another sixty seconds or so, just long enough for Angelina Jolie to steal another car. It’s that good. Returning to Death Groove with presence, power and poise “Gatling Gun” is everything you could want from a band like Last Retch, the savagely delivered and yet anthemic chorus something you’re going to want to scream-a-long by the second spin. Hells teeth, there is even a scorcher of a solo to add to the earworm of a main riff [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Abject Cruelty
2. Beasley Meth Merchants
3. Dissecting the Leper
4. In the Polder They Reek
5. Resinous Drip of Decay
6. Dissolved in Lye (Down to Rot)
7. Oozing Pustules
8. Gatling Gun

“Abject Cruelty” by Last Retch is out 26th September 2025 via Time To Kill Records and is available over at bandcamp.