Avulsed- Phoenix Cryptobiosis
Reviewed by: Jon Santitoro
Review score: 8.5
For the Metal community, 2024 was a year like no other. Standout releases from longtime veteran bands and fast rising newcomers alike came forth at breakneck speed, leaving fans astounded and clamoring for more. And it doesn’t look like 2025 is going to let up one bit. Buckle up, Metalheads. We’re in for one hell of a ride.
Charging hard out of the gate are none other than Spain’s infamous pioneers of Death Metal brutality, Avulsed. Their upcoming release, Phoenix Cryptobiosis, is an eleven song aural mauling that is both darkly destructive and infectiously catchy. Focusing on memorable riffs courtesy of guitarists Alejandro Lobo and Victor Dws, Phoenix Cryptobiosis quite simply “delivers the goods” in a straightforward, no-frills manner that longtime Death Metal fans will definitely enjoy.
Opening with an instrumental track has been a hallmark of Death Metal bands since the early 90’s, so it’s no surprise that these old-school legends kick things off with ‘Limbs Regeneration’, a bludgeoning, yet surprisingly eerie little tune that sets up the rest of the album brilliantly. While the instrumental lead-off approach may come across as formulaic to critics, I find it important from both continuity and nostalgia standpoints. The track itself is by no means “over-the-top” in terms of speed or complexity, but the tone and overall mood are what’s really important here. From an OSDM perspective, ‘Limbs Regeneration’ is exactly what longtime Death Metal fans like myself want.
Iconic vocalist and founding member Dave Rotten makes his gravel-gurgling entrance on the album’s second track, ‘Lacerate to Dominate’. This stomping track features memorable riffing and rumbling rhythm section that feels somewhat like an earthquake, terrifying and inescapable. All of which are brilliantly punctuated by Dave’s subterranean growling. ‘Lacerate to Dominate’ is also the first single to Phoenix Cryptobiosis and should be an excellent choice for a show opener as well.
‘Blood Monolith’ is an interesting track that seems somewhat more technical than the first two in terms of it’s guitar work and overall composition. This one alternates a bit between meandering riffs and thunderous break-downs. The leads are tastefully done, with little flash but plenty of feel and exquisite timing; a hallmark of the band’s maturity and songwriting skill.
The bouncing, attention grabbing groove of ‘Unrotted’ is a highlight of Phoenix Cryptobiosis. While ‘Unrotted’ is a shorter track (clocking in at only 2:39), it effectively packs a jackhammer-like punch, in spite of it’s limited duration. There’s absolutely no filler in this high octane monster, just pure intensity.
‘Guts of the Gore Gods’ is another short (3:03) track that might be the standout of the entire album. The song itself is somewhat off-kilter in parts and held together almost exclusively by the main riff, which actually enhances it’s undeniable charm. Again, the rhythm section is absolutely thunderous, and Dave’s vocals turn the song title into a devastating death metal anthem. Brilliant work here.
The title track of Phoenix Cryptobiosis features some twisted guitar work reminiscent of those early 90’s Florida bands, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, ‘Phoenix Cryptobiosis’ seems to be the perfect representative of the album as a whole; an uncompromising and unabashed throwback to the heyday of Death Metal’s first generation.
The back half of Phoenix Cryptobiosis kicks off with the up-tempo ‘Devotion for Putrefaction’, a punk-like banger with an impressive lead break that sticks out among all the others on the album. This is another track that will translate well to the band’s live set, and hopefully won’t be relegated to the “deep cuts” portion of the extensive Avulsed catalog.
More stellar shredding from Alejandro and Victor is showcased on ‘Neverborn Monstrosity’, which again is complimented perfectly by the relentless low-end carnage dished out by Santi Gog (drums) and Alex Nihil (bass). ‘Neverborn Monstrosity’ hits hard and is a stellar example of the band’s songwriting ability.
Both ‘Dismembered’ and ‘Bio-Cadaver’ follow the Avulsed blueprint of aggressive, hook-and-riff style Death Metal that sticks in the listener’s head with their chugging groove. And lastly, Phoenix Cryptobiosis closes out with ‘Wandering Putrid Souls’, another fast-paced ripper that leaves the listener no time to catch their breath. Admittedly, ‘Wandering Putrid Souls’ came as a bit of a surprise to me, as I fully expected a slower paced “doomy” track or even another instrumental as the album’s closer. Be that as it may, ‘Wandering Putrid Souls’ does not disappoint in the slightest.
Overall, Phoenix Cryptobiosis is an excellent album with a very high replay value that fans of Avulsed and old-school, groove-heavy Death Metal will doubtless enjoy to the fullest. Avulsed is without a doubt, still at the top of their game.
Phoenix Cryptobiosis is set for release on 3/4/25 via Xtreem Music.