Corpsing - Regnum (EP)
Self-released
Death Metal
7 songs (31:20)
Release year: 2017
Corpsing
Reviewed by Goat

Casually checking out the line-up for this year's Bloodstock festival, my eye caught a familiar-looking logo that I hadn't seen in a long while... Corpsing?! The creators of one of my favourite ever death metal albums, 2007's The Stench of Humanity, the London-based band split up shortly after its release and have been dormant until now. Furiously googling, I discovered from Bandcamp that in May Corpsing self-released a new EP, and it's been on my playlist since. It's like they never left us; that brutally heavy guitar tone instantly recognisable, forming the backbone of the complex and often chaotic music, progressive and diverse without being obnoxious about it. Even the sense of humour is intact, intro Dancing Shadows setting the scene with dripping water and murky ambience before a child's voice says 'oh my god' - launching straight into first track proper Bloated Enigma.

And it's good to hear Corpsing again, as fitting in 2017 as they were a decade ago. Tight and technical without losing their atmospheric punch or a sense of fun, Bloated Enigma is an enjoyable battering, brutal death metal left space to breath in the shape of a breakdown that moves from atmospheric gloom to catchy riff-hooking and widdly soloing. The following Ouroboros is more of the same if a little proggier and more inclined to chugging riffs - still hugely enjoyable, and given extra flavour in the form of both a shift towards funeral doom territory and a guest vocal spot from Edd Amos of Damim (a band that long-time listeners may remember in the form of original name Dām and a couple of very good progressive death metal albums, also a decade or so ago). Regnum is packed with these guest vocal spots; as well as Solomon J Lucifer Christ of Meta-Statis and ex-Ted Maul (whatever happened to them?!) on the groovy and industrial-tinted Cunt, we're also blessed with Jason Mendoca's unearthly screech on the jagged-riffing Wisdom of the Serpent. (That track in particular sounds very Akercockean thanks to the added acoustic guitars and occult air, and suggests good things from the gentlemen Satanists later this year...)

Rounding things off with flamenco outro Divna and, oddly, a cover of Emperor's Ye Entrancemperium given a death metal bluntless and aggression altogether different from the original, Regnum is a bountiful of riches and something of a walk down memory lane for those, like me, who remember the band from back in the day. Listen to and purchase all of Corpsing's output from the Bandcamp link above, and go see them live if you're lucky enough to be off to Bloodstock next month.

Killing Songs :
Bloated Enigma, Wisdom of the Serpent, Cunt
Goat quoted no quote
Other albums by Corpsing that we have reviewed:
Corpsing - The Stench Of Humanity reviewed by Goat and quoted 91 / 100
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