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Apparently Lay Down Rotten have a bunch of records out there under the proverbial 'independent release' moniker, but they never crossed this reviewer's radar until 2007's Reconquering The Pit, a Swedish-styled Death Metal number on the Metal Blade label. Their latest album Gospel of the Wretched, further ensconces Lay Down Rotten in the Swede method of down-tuned carnage, sounding much more like Dismember than Morgoth, though that's probably splitting hairs a bit.
The record comes off really tight, produced by Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath, too many others to mention), who also lends some vocals, along with Martin van Drunen (Pestilence, Asphyx, Comecon) and Marc Grewe (Morgoth, Comecon), all Death Metal legends, thus Lay Down Rotten certainly identify themselves within the genre. Swanö's production magnifies the brutal, heavy, and melodic, never sounding indistinguishable or distorted. The guitar leads play particularly well on top of a few chunky, sweet riffs scattered about the disc, and are certainly my highlight of the record.
Gospel of the Wretched most definitely is far more advanced than their last album. Lay Down Rotten have grown a bit, the songs are more concise, developed, and thematically enriched. However, I'm still looking for that element which separates them from the pack. Sometimes it takes some borrowing from other genres or an over emphasis on an aspect one excels in. I would really like to see them expand on some of that interesting lead guitar solo work, maybe go a step more melodic in that regard. Given all that, Lay Down Rotten remain one of the rising stars of Death Metal, and Gospel of the Wretched proves to be a keeper.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Gospel Of The Wretched |
| 2. Thy Will Won't Be Done |
| 3. Hours Of Infinity |
| 4. Altering The Whore |
| 5. Conditioning The Weak |
| 6. He Who Sows Hate |
| 7. Beyond Damnation |
| 8. When All Becomes Nothing |
| 9. Where Spirits Lie Dead |
: 44:04
| Buy other Lay Down Rotten albums |
