The Munsens - Degradation in the Hyperreal

The Munsens – Degradation in the Hyperreal
Release Date: 24th October 2025
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Doom, Sludge, Hardcore, Black Metal.
FFO: Celtic Frost, Bolt Thrower, Religious Observance, Candlemass, Plague Doctor, Obituary, Terrorizer, Autopsy.
Review By: Mark Young

Denver, Colorado!

Home to The Munsens who have done the hard work in getting this blend of Death, Doom and Black Metal amongst other extreme ingredients into a working brew that is now ready to be ingested. With a bio that is mercifully brief and to the point, it notes that they have shaped a sound that is unique to them, and you know what? It’s pretty good.

Firstly, we should address song lengths as a bone of contention (for some, not all). Can I ask that you don’t let them put you off from trying these out, because on the surface they may look long, perhaps longer than you want to spend with one band, but they only seem long from one perspective. Once you get into them, let them wash over you and chart their way from pummelling metal through post-shoegaze into blackened territory and back again, those song lengths actually don’t seem long enough. Still with us? Interest piqued? Good because they do offer a distinctive sound, one that takes that those ingredients and whizzes them up into cohesive songs that actually go somewhere. And just so happen to give you a well-intentioned smack as they do. I’ll try to keep things brief, because sometimes reviews can be difficult in articulating how an album hits, and it must bore sometimes for the reader.

Eternal Grasp starts on point, a fairly basic arrangement that could be described as no-frills. This is the early scene setter, a draw to bring you in, settle you down, and then they can play a little as it hits the half-way mark and things start to change. Hitting you with a heavy shoegaze for a spell and then its full speed forward, all carried out in a way that flows from one part to the next. Seamlessly. Changes in direction isn’t a new thing, we know that, but then we also recognise those who do it well, and The Munsens do. In one song they have shown you that if you are up for it, they will take you on a journey to where they want to go. On the other end of this scale, Sacred Ivory starts off like traditional Death Metal, trem picked rhythms and growls, but they can’t resist pulling back to a more sedate (crushing pace) and it reminds me of Celtic Frost in some respects. Drauga dives into the pool of Doom, a grinding set-piece that pummels you. It’s an album that also looks to build a sense of atmosphere around itself, grand opening parts that build a sense of unease, such as the starting part of Scaling Ceauşescu’s Balcony that then veers between speed and stifling slows. Again, its build is one that belies its 8-minute run time because they instinctively know how to broaden that sound to keep you engaged.

Supreme Death is their masterwork on here, taking its good time in establishing the mood and tone. Like Drauga and Scaling, it has a feel that could strip the enamel from your teeth, and a lot of that can be attributed to the vocals that carry a lot of the weight. Like the others, it too spins on a penny, lurching forward into a rapid, blast filled sequence. The way that it changes captivates and, in an instant, it does that funny thing where the song zips by in no time at all. After this, they drop in an instrumental with Vesper, which feels like a come down after the high that Supreme Death brought. Coming at you with The Knife, they put things back on the front foot once more, bringing the momentum back as they head to the end. They don’t let the shorter tracks stop them from trying to put as many ideas into one song as is possible, and if anything, are more successful because of that restriction. The Knife is a great song, and if you asked me for a snapshot, I would point to this as a great introduction to this collection. Then they blindside me with the piano driven I Avow, which admittedly is a soothing piece that shuts the door on what is a cracking album. Actually, a seriously good album. Seek it out immediately.