The Plague – Within Death (All of the Death Metal)
I receive a lot of death metal submissions with the ole’ skull cover aesthetic. Usually you can’t expect much out of such things but I dig bones so I give any skeletal art a try just for that reason. The Plague is yet another Australian death metal outfit that got my attention for their insistence on classic form with their own twists, but due to facts others seem to have missed (I’ll explain don’t worry). Within Death is one of those listens where you’re like “okay, sure,” soon followed by “damn, okay,” and eventually “shit,” probably after that “oh shit yeah.”
Now, listen, The Plague are certainly aware they’re not bending your mind with what they’re doing. This is a beloved genre they’re playing here, and by God they’re sticking with death metal tradition. Or are they? Within Death only superficially follows the path. The Plague are rather masterful with their utilization of various types of death metal within this one work, not one particular style. At times it grinds like smut metal, at others it stretches into melodic territory, and then organically develops into technical thrash. The vocals, phew, they pull out everything they got for that. I mean what a cornucopia! This is what other critics didn’t seem to notice with The Plague. They’re not just death metal, they’re all of the death metal. Plenty in Within Death on which to sup.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
The Plague – Within Death
Bitter Loss Records
Cover Art: Demura Artem
4.5 / 5
