Some albums are just meant to be played loud. The kind of loud that makes your teeth rattle and your neighbors call the cops. NEW WORLD DEPRESSION latest, “Abysmal Void”, is exactly that kind of album. These German veterans have been tearing it up since 2005, and on their seventh full-length, they’ve dialed in their old school Death Metal sound with more groove, atmosphere and raw power than ever before. Right from the jump, songs like ‘The Vault’, ‘Book Of Trophies’, ‘Spoils Of War’ and ‘Blind Eyes’ grab you by the throat and reminds all about how to build Death Metal songs. The vicious chugs and relentless grooves are a perfect setup for the frenetically squirming guitar work and raw, rabid howls. Just try not to headbang, I dare you. But it’s not all pure aggression; there’s a menacing lurch to their sound, and eerily wailing solos that add a chilling, supernatural atmosphere. This further rolls in on the other numbers ‘Marching On Our Graves’, ‘Burning Down’, ‘Grenadier’, ‘Expect No Mercy’, ‘Carnage’ and till the end with ‘Moonbound Hunger’. With the record closes, this will be felt strongly that the band isn’t just about making noise; there’s a theme here. “Abysmal Void” takes you on a grim tour of humanity’s failures with greed, destruction and war, which is not just a picking up where their previous albums left off. The production, courtesy of Jörg Uken at Soundlodge Studio, is top-notch, giving the album a crisp, powerful punch that does justice to every pounding riff and furious vocal. This is honest, unfiltered Death Metal, a brutal reckoning with the state of the world as purely reflecting in the evoking cover artwork by Juan Castellano. It’s a testament to the band’s deep roots in the underground scene and inspirations from giants like ASPHYX, BOLT THROWER and late era ENTOMBED. If you’re looking for a punishing, no-frills Death Metal album that will get your body moving and remind you of the genre’s glory days, look no further. Just be careful – if you listen hard enough, the abyss might just listen back. Find out more about the band and label here: www.facebook.com/newworlddepression, www.facebook.com/testimonyrecords