Emerging from San Luis Obiso, California (USA), MEPHITIC CORPSE released two really good demo tapes in 2019 and 2024. And now, we finally get their debut album, “Sickness Attracts Sickness”. Their first demo tape really piqued my interest. If somebody would’ve told me that this band came out three decades ago, I’d fall for it hook, line and sinker. Their style of music is firmly rooted in what I call the “early ’90s obscure underground”. Lots of unknown bands back then coming from the USA were playing this type of obscure, murky, gore-drenched Death / Grind Metal. Early MORTICIAN, PHLEGM, GROTESQUE INFECTION and HIDEOUS MANGLEUS come to mind when listening to their absolutely brutal debut album. It is also cohesive and compact, clocking at a mere 28 minutes with songs ranging between two and four minutes. Guitarist Matt Rose constantly churns out sick riffs using both palm muting and open chords. Vocalist / bassist Parker Nelson’s bass lines are not too far behind using a lot of distortion with a massive bottom end that creates a wall of distortion. His deep growls add a lot to the disgusting aura surrounding their music. Last, but not least, Eric Liewald pounds his way through the drums, grinding away with surgical bass drum work and sharp fills to keep up the amazing dynamics. The album lines up perfectly, covering a lot of different features technically but also maintaining that revolting and nauseating sensation that makes their music so appealing and interesting. Some people may think that creating this kind of art is simple, but MEPHITIC CORPSE’s music has multiple twists and turns, lots of nuances and details. Straight forward controlled chaos. Now, I was intrigued by the production choices made by the band and their engineer. I think they were going for that unpolished, demo tape-esque sound which fits the band style perfectly. But the guitar and bass tones seem a bit overpowering. It was kinda hard for me to figure out some of the parts, especially when the band is on full speed. The drums are dry and thin sounding, yet the bass drum click / thump and the snare’s crack (for me) were overwhelming at times. My only guess: it was the only way of letting the drums through in the mix, which is well balanced, even with those two elements taking front and center. Finally, the master is really dynamic and gives much needed air to this oppressive and menacing collection of songs. Although there were some minor aspects that distracted me from the overall listening experience, MEPHITIC CORPSE are at the top of their game right now. Their music sounds familiar but also up to date. Personally, I think it is great to listen to a different approach and not another Death / Doom band. I think I’ve had enough of those already. So I am already looking forward to their next album. I am sure they will push the limits and bring forth even more punishing music. “Sickness Attracts Sickness” is simply a brutal debut album. These guys have the know-how of raw, bloody and disgusting Death / Grind. It has been some time since I have heard of a band with such potential! Show some well deserved support to the band here: https://mephiticcorpse.bandcamp.com. And get this album right now here: www.facebook.com/extremelyrottenproductions, www.facebook.com/headsplitrecords, www.instagram.com/625_thrash