Bodyfarm – The Coming Scourge (Cyclone Empire)
Sunday, 29th September 2013
If memory serves correct, DR’s infantile brain confused Bodyfarm with “Phat Farm,” the now not-so popular line of clothing that was popularized in the 90s. This utterance was made for their 2012 Malevolence effort, an album that bordered on being too simplistic and clunky, a trait that some death metal bands would fall over themselves for. And while there’s not an appreciable uptick in quality with The Coming Scourge, it’s an album that wisely plays it safe while finding some moments of catchiness.
As inclined as this Dutch crew is to lay out the speed, it’s their slow-churn, power-chord dominated numbers that seem to resonate the most. “Vortex of Terror” and “The Frozen Halls” are prime indicators of this, as the guitar team of Thomas Wouters and Bram Hilhorst thread carefully-crafted, yet subtle melodies into their vintage, Scandinavian death metal sound. “Vortex of Terror” is easily the album’s standout cut, patterned in the vein of Entombed or Grave gone simple and song-oriented, which would suggest Wolverine Blues or a toned-down Soulless, if anything. Elsewhere, the leaden “Frontline Massacre” works, even if DR thought it was a Hail of Bullets song title, as well as “The Siege of the Mind.”
Bodyfarm is probably best served being lumped in with Jungle Rot, a band whose simple-beyond-all-simple death metal approach has allowed them to hang around for a decade or two. Not saying Bodyfarm will enjoy such longevity, but The Coming Scourge should score the band some real points with sticklers and purists.
