FLESHCRAWL is such a great and badass band, it’s quite a pity they are so underrated. I’m familiar with few of their releases and I don’t remember hearing any which I didn’t like. The band is around since 1991 (or from 1987, if we want to count-in the time during which they were called… MORGOTH and then SUFFOCATION), and “Epitome Of Carnage” is their tenth studio album, the first one in seven years. Worth mentioning it’s their first album with a new vocalist and with both new guitarists. Thankfully, this major line-up change didn’t really affect their sound, and we once again receive a very solid piece of Swedish (old school) Death Metal. Yes, I know, I know, FLESHCRAWL are a German band, but the way they play surely fooled many Death Metal fans into thinking they are from either Stockholm or Gothenburg. And absolutely nothing wrong about it! So if you already know every single riff, solo and drum pattern on your favorite ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER or GRAVE albums, then you might want to dig into the FLESHCRAWL discography, as there’s a very big chance you’re gonna like what they offer. And “Epitome Of Carnage” might be a very good place to start. The album sounds quite natural and organic, without that annoying sterile, chiseled and clicking modern approach, which makes many modern extreme Metal releases unlistenable. Everything is audible and very well balanced, with a very cool dark and muggy atmosphere which brings to mind some of the best albums of the genre. We already got a bunch of awesome Death Metal albums this year: FROZEN SOUL, VOMITORY, IMMOLATION, MONSTROSITY, so the bar is set very high. However, FLESHCRAWL’s “Epitome Of Carnage” isn’t really behind new productions of those acts, in fact, it matches their quality and will surely be labeled as a Death Metal album of the year by many fans of the genre. Good job guys, don’t make us wait seven years for another release! www.facebook.com/fleshcrawl, www.facebook.com/reigningphoenixmusicofficial