Death metal can be fun, right? I know there are all sets of unwritten rules for the harshest brands of heavy metal, and I’m pretty sure I’m always violating them. But I’ve always found easy ways to enjoy death metal and, like, feel good at the same time. Can you really listen to, say, Carcass and Cannibal Corpse and not also feel some joy? Should I turn in my website?

I got to thinking of this when taking on “Spectral Intercession,” the debut full-length from Scottish death squad Coffin Mulch and … hold on. You can’t listen to a band called Coffin Mulch and not also feel a big sense of fun. Yeah, this is deadly shit, cut right from the heart of the ’90s, brimming with wicked power. It’s a monster of a record that this band—vocalist Al, guitarist Derek Milne, bassist Rich, drummer Fraser—throws every ounce of themselves into, as you can feel their energy and dedication to the cause. And yeah, it’s a fucking good time, and it also will pulverize you, so be aware of that strength.

The title track opens with crazed howls and complete mania, giving off an old-school death vibe, creaky and crawling with cobwebs. The scathing force continues, taking on a filthy low-end rumble, spiraling guitars, and a strange alien force, pushing toward an infernal stomp that smashes guts. “Into the Blood” is sooty and grimy, the wild howls eating into your flesh and muscle, the bass clubbing as slow-meting menace melts flesh. A fiery rampage takes off as howls echo, and the jolting electricity drives through veins. “Mental Suicide” is doomy when it drops, the steam making the stench grow more immersive, the heaviness working into skulls. The misery drags as the force blows apart, ending in a pit of misery. “In the Grip of Death” is mucky and mauling, a calculated attacker that brings threatening growls and slashing speed. The fury crushes without letting you breathe, this short burst moving in and back out.

“Fall of Gaia” is muddy and has raspy wails and a crushing ferocity, the soloing erupting from the carnage, sounding swaggering and bluesy. The pace turns back and clobbers, bringing a vicious, dirty finish to a deadly beast. “Gateway to the Unseen” continues with the peril, Al’s vocals sounding like they’re coming for your sanity. The playing slips into a dirty groove, feeling catchy but also gritty, rampaging with fury until it finally splatters closed. “Infernal Mass” brings doomy fumes, thorny vocals, and a thrashing intensity that builds as the song goes on. The leads heat up as the muck increases, bursts club with horrific power, and everything ends as brutally as possible. Closer “Eternal Enslavement” blasts open with driving drums, bass slithering, and a scathing, almost drunken tear through your psyche. The playing carves at your sanity as the bass chugs, horror collects, and scorching howls eat into guts, dripping out into warped psychosis.

There are pounds of filth and fun on “Spectral Intercession,” and even though one of those words can be offensive by some people when describing death metal, it’s a total benefit to this album. Coffin Mulch also provide brutality and violence, bloodshed and horror, and over these eight tracks, it feels like a complete serving of chaos that leaves you full and satisfied. This is just this band’s first full foray into destruction, and they do so with gusto and force that can leave you overwhelmed.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/coffinmulch

To buy the album, go here: https://www.memento-mori.es/store.php

For more on the label, go here: https://www.memento-mori.es/