“Old school brutality is the law” and that isn’t just a reference point – it’s the unrelenting law carved into every riff on “Altar Of Brutality”, the crushing debut album from Costa Rican Death Metal trio MORTUAL. What makes their debut such a towering monument of terror is not just its level of violence; it’s the way it permeates much of the decay infecting much of the current Death Metal scene. If you absorb this deeper, their new offering feels cursed in all the right ways: just unholy riffs and blood-thick atmosphere conjured from the abyss, without being overly technical. There’s also a malignant intensity here, a suitably infernal presence that transcends Death Metal into something darker, something ancient and beyond. While clearly bearing the skeletal fingerprints of classic American Death Metallers like MORBID ANGEL or MONSTROSITY, they wield these influences with a uniquely South American edge that is untamed and unyielding. It almost sounds more like necromancy than nostalgia. Whatever sinister expectations you bring into their “Altar Of Brutality”, MORTUAL not only met but mercilessly exceeded by its opening onslaught, ‘Mortuary Rites’, ‘Necromancy Ritual’ and ‘Divine Monstrosity’. These first three hymns erupt like tombs ripped open in a tempest; each guitar work is a jagged incision into your sanity. However, beneath their chaos lies something calculated – a maelstrom of technically precise Death Metal passages controlled. For those who are initiated, there is an absolute unspoken madness in these tracks, a ritualistic fervour that doesn’t just aim to impress but to infect. With their fourth and fifth sonic incursions, ‘Evil Presence’ and ‘Fiendish Visions’, MORTUAL descend even deeper into the abyss. These tracks don’t just stand out; they take an interesting approach and linger in the shadows of the album, pulsing with an ominous pulse that sounds more ritualistic. The drum style is executed with flawless precision, each fill a signal flare from some demonic procession and perfectly synced to the schizophrenic convulsions of the guitar and bass riffs. It’s also kept together by a fantastic vocal performance that alternates their insanity with flawlessly delivered venomous spits. Every instrument is tightly bound, yet constantly threatening to spiral out of control. The terror continues with ‘Skeletal Vortex’ and the title track ‘Altar Of Brutality’, both of which are offerings that are unwavering in their devotion to the blasphemous blueprints of early ’90s Death Metal. And there’s a deliberately altered core underneath the unrelenting wall of blast rhythms and direful riffage. Their riffs aren’t just pummelling; they twist and deform in order to keep the listener locked in a state of dread anticipation. Additionally, their guitar solos truly tear through the curtain; it is executed with a malicious elegance. If brutality is the altar, then these solos are the ritual daggers. ‘Ecstasy Of Death’ ends this debut album very elegantly. It’s something more like damnation than resolution. A final curse that could drag the listeners into their altar which they have called upon throughout the record. As the final distortion decays into silence, the guitar strums conclude their first journey into a last lament echoing through the catacombs of the soul. It could be a haunting reminder that this first album also represents a ceremonial descent into madness. Beyond their sheer musical savagery, there lies another infernal pillar upholding MORTUAL’s debut, which is none other than the masterful production by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound. Lowndes shapes their sonic assaults with a clarity that never lessens the punch, giving the pandemonium necrotic vitality rather than sterilising the chaos. Every instrument has a dark realm of its own. Visually, the “Altar Of Brutality” cover artwork is no less amazing. The work of Marcelo Almeida is more than just appealing; it almost serves as a sort of gateway into the abyss MORTUAL dwells in. Compared to MORTUAL’s music, this artwork is a true artefact of their brutality. In summation, this debut album is among the most essential Death Metal revelations of 2025. A quite long-brewing storm finally unleashed by MORTUAL, nearly a decade after their initial conjuring in 2015. “Altar Of Brutality” not only demands to be heard but also to be endured. Drown into their madness through Nuclear Winter Records now. www.facebook.com/mortualofficial, www.facebook.com/martyrdoomproductions