Vholdghast – End Of All
23rd December 2023
Impalement – The Dawn Of Blackened Death
25th December 2023Verdugo – Decay
Label: Iron, Blood And Death Corporation / Release Date: 2020/2023
Verdugo is a Chilean Trash/Death Metal trio, one that recently (as of this year) has begun releasing tracks in English alongside songs in their native Spanish (aside from a single track on their 2012 compilation album, I sadly did not manage to find a version of that particular song to be sure). This happened for the first time since their inception back in 2008 through their newest release – A Demo entitled Decay, which is essentially two Demos in one due to the fact that it countains all the songs from their previous Demo released three years previously (hence the slightly confusing release date further below) as well as two new tracks; One of them the ‘title track’ of the Demo, “Mental Decay” (not quite the same title, but close enough for comfort). And just to round things off, a live version of one of their earlier songs, which I am assuming to be one of their more popular tracks (“Putrefacta Morsodidad”/’Putrid Morbidity’ recorded in Lampa last year for any who were wondering).
Now I will be blunt and admit to having no prior knowledge of the band before my boss sent me this record but from what this release has proven they certainly seem to be a both zealous and dedicated group. Their chosen name Verdugo (which translates to ‘Executioner’) is par for the course for the genre, as is their band logo – In many ways I knew exactly what I was getting into the second I picked up the record, which I always appreciate.
Verdugo is one of those bands you often find early on at the larger festivals, setting the stage and mood for the rest of the day with their relentless blasphemies, up-beat tempo and guttural vocals. And Decay certainly serves as a good appetizer to get to know the band as well, with the (combined) length of the entire secen tracks adding up to roughly twenty-eight minutes.
Recommended for those early hungover mornings at a festival, I certainly would not dismiss the possibility of this record finding its way into a few of my friends playlists.
