The Birmingham, Alabama-based death metal demolition crew Writhing Shadows first appeared on our radars with a 2020 two-song demo, and then again, shortly thereafter, with their deadly-to-ignore follow-up demo, Flesh Magic of the Haruspex. By Perverse Beasts of War, Writhing Shadow’s third EP of 2020, it was abundantly clear that their combining death metal’s predatorial speed and agility, beatdown’s pugnacious swagger and grindcore’s unhinged brutality, then beating it all to a barely recognizable pulp amidst a morbid atmosphere so thick it’s bordering on psychological warfare, was quite effective and successful.
Last year saw the band catch their breath somewhat. In 2021, Writhing Shadows released a split with Floridian facechewers Wharflurch and one highly mandatory compilation courtesy of Gurgling Gore. And that’s it. More than likely, the Alabama quartet were writing this what you’re about to hear the first track of, presently.
On May 13, Writhing Shadows will finally release their self-titled debut full-length. More despotic and extremely bellicose death metal munitions from one of the most vicious bands in the scene today and we’ve procured the first single from the album, “Warplust Contortions!”
“We call on the chaotic legions of death metal worshippers,” says Writhing Shadows. “The wind around us carries the scent of death, the ground is soft with the blood of posers. Piles of stacked skulls mark the passage of our frenzied hordes and grim monoliths are raised in tribute to the Dark Gods. We are eternally bound to this path of destruction to eliminate the weak trends and bullshit riffs of fake metal. Our destiny is eternal infernal death metal worship.”
Available May 13 on CD and cassette from Gurgling Gore (North America) and Dawnbreed Records (Europe). Vinyl to be deployed later this year. Make sure to pick one of the ‘dad hats’ from the Gurgling Gore Bandcamp, too, if only to conceal the massive headwound Writhing Shadows is about to leave you with.
