Fleshcrawl – Epitome of Carnage
Release Date: 12th June 2026
Label: Distortion Music Group (DMG)
Order/Stream
Genre: Death Metal, Old School Death Metal, Swedish Death Metal, HM-2.
FFO: Entombed, Bloodbath, Dismember, Unleashed, Grave, Bolt Thrower.
Review By: Rick Farley
“Through decades of evolution, challenges and perseverance, Fleshcrawl has remained steadfast in its mission: delivering uncompromising, traditional death metal with authenticity, power, and unwavering conviction.”
Classic old school Stockholm, Swedish death metal via Germany? You bet your sweet ass. HM-2 guitar driven brutalists Fleshcrawl return for album number ten; Epitome of Carnage being unleashed via Distortion Music Group. A blood splattering of trebly chainsaw riffs, intense grooves, and no bullshit attitude ready to bulldoze the nearest poser. Founded originally in 1987 under a different name, this veteran band has already made their rotting mark in death metal lore but looks to take their rightful seat amongst the newest breed.
Epitome of Carnage is a raw and furiously aggressive lesson in crushing death metal with a buzzing, nerve wrecking guitar tone that if you’re not already familiar with, it may uncleanly take some limbs right off. Roaring gutturals and a thunderous rhythm section round out the neck wrecking frenzy to heightened intensity. Catchy melodic leads and stomping hooks makes this nearly impossible to not want to destroy anything and everything in your general vicinity. There’s always been an uncontrolled primal reaction to this style of death metal and Fleshcrawl know how to evoke that with great ease. You and anyone near you will feel this record whether you want to or not.
Tracks like Chapel of Guts swirls with dense hooks, blistering double bass and enough brutish swagger to demolish a building. Grave Messiah turns up the tempo into a searing tremolo picked, vicious, pit friendly pace, full of pounding rhythms and course roars, the beatings are fast, and relentless. Embers of Wrath is a purposeful spattering of hooky, trampling that maintains a groove filled wrecking throughout its duration. Tons of Gothenburg influenced guitar melodies make this track extremely welcoming while you’re being battered over the head. But for my money it’s album closer Of Fire and Flesh that gets the motor most ramped up for the crowd wars. Groove plus aggressive speed equals violence. A heavy yet melodic outro ends the record with a ton of personality that will immediately make you want to hit repeat. A true masterclass in vigorous musicianship with melodic catchiness and a lumbering heaviness.
It’s safe to say the old school renaissance continues or in this case the old school badassery. Fleshcrawl has been brutalizing for nearly forty years and to be still considered an underground band rather than a household name is downright criminal. Truth be told there is nothing new on Epitome of Carnage in any way concerning this timeless genre, but seriously who the fuck even cares, this is pure unadulterated, groovy, no frills, genuine, old school buzzsaw death metal that will scratch every pus filled itch you have. A well-oiled machine with excellent songwriting, killer riffs, headbanging grooves, and full-blown chainsaw intensity. Is this original? No! Does it matter in this case? Also, no! Get this in your ears and break a few bones on your way around the circle.
(4 / 5)
