Death metal always has exposed the ugliest and most horrific ideas known to humankind. But a great deal of that involves horror movie-style blood and guts and other terrifying subject matter that, while great fodder for movies and stories, isn’t reality. There are far more disgusting real-life events going on around us that cause actual human pain and suffering, which is more chilling.

Death metal crushers Castrator make gory, traditionally bloody death metal on a sonic level, but digging deeper, there are revelations about unspeakable ugliness going on in our history and modern society that are scarier than a skeleton pulling out his guts in a graveyard. On their molten second album “Coronation of the Grotesque,” they remain as guttural as ever while also shining a light on injustices, human suffering, state-sponsored brutality, and sexual predators. We also, in this country, live under a regime that has tried to protect people who commit such atrocities and waive them away as if they’re the victims. The band—vocalist Clarissa Badini, guitarist Sara Loerlein, bassist Robin Mazen, drummer Carolina Perez—brings their experience from other acts such as Derketa, Vicious Blade, Gruesome, Hypoxia, and others to channel their rage and metallic will to set fire to these evils in our world with a sharpened blade meant to maim oppressors and true evil.

“Fragments of Defiance” tears open, growls menacing, the pace slowing to a deadly lurch but remaining heavy as hell. Guitars go off as the pace combusts, mashing through vile howls and an ending haze that intoxicates. “I Am Eunuch” gushes with soaring leads, a dizzying attack, and then a charged-up bruising that teams with Badini’s vocals that utterly slay. Things get humid before guitars light up, the thrashing guts, and everything ends viciously. “Covenant of Deceit” is eerie when it dawns, and then ugliness ensues as the growls dig deep into guts, and the battering turns into a slow burn that increases the pressure. Badini’s wails get raspier before she delves back into guttural growls, and then the guitars jolt, setting off a grisly string of events. “Mortem Opeterie” is fast and nasty, growls snarling as the guitars squeeze throats, the fury spreading dangerously. The leads turn warmer before all hell breaks loose again, driving into horrors unforeseen, blasting out into hell. “Remnants of Chaos” chugs hard, the pace then racing before pulling back a bit, the vocals tearing into your psyche. Demonic shrieks peel paint off the walls while the bludgeoning turns more volatile, speeding before wrecking shop.

“Deviant Miscreant” brings frying guitars, a pace that chews muscle, and growls that smear soot in your mouth. The guitars catch fire and turn mesmerizing, letting your mind wander before chaos returns, turning toward a breathless, blinding outburst. “Psalm of Beguiled” rampages, the growls and shrieks combining to do further psychological damage, the bass clobbering with ferocity. Guitars tear open and electrify as the intensity floods, speeding its way to a demolishing finish. “Blood Bind’s Curse” erupts as guitars wage war, the growls scrape prone wounds, and the tempo gets dangerously heated, making conditions feel more dangerous than usual. The soloing absolutely blazes, a glorious stretch that melts flesh, and the band keeps the gas pedal glued to the floor from there, smoldering as the growls gnaw on your bones. “Discordant Rumination” opens with shrieks raining down, a death charge aiming for your ribs, and raw hell unleashing new forms of pain. The leads smoke as the pace turns manic, slow mucking power makes your path stickier, and everything is ground into paste. The closer is a savage cover of the Exodus classic “Metal Command” from their 1985 classic “Bonded By Blood,” one of the great thrash records ever. The band gives it a deadly, rotting makeover, keeping the power and metallic glory intact while also giving it a modern face of eternal decay.

“Coronation of the Grotesque” is the gnarliest, most vision thing Castrator has released so far, and while they delve deep into blood and guts, they also remain steadfast in their mission to expose abuse, injustice, and suffering. So, yeah, it’s noticeably uglier than their previous work, but we also continue to grow darker and more bloodthirsty as a society. This is a massive step up from a band that already was operating at a high level, and this record should be recognized for the death metal mastery it is. It completely destroys. 

For more on the band, go here: https://castrator.bandcamp.com/music

To buy the album, go here: https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/?s=castrator&post_type=product

For more on the label, go here: https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/