Artist: Mortual
Country: Costa Rica
Label: Nuclear Winter Records
Formats: LP / Cassette Tape / CD
Year: 2025
Although Mortual has its roots back in 2015, starting out as Sepulchrated, and the band had already released two short players and a split CD, I only came across them with the ‘Evil Incarnation’ EP from 2023. Not only was this the first release to be put out by a somewhat larger label, bringing this Costa Rican band to a wider audience, but it was also undoubtedly the best the band had produced up to that point. It’s no surprise that Nuclear Winter Records is once again the label of choice for the debut album, because if you’re looking for quality Death Metal, that’s one of the places to start your search.
What I particularly found interesting with ‘Evil Incarnation’ is that it feels like a bridge between the, what you can call, classic Nuclear Winter Records sound and more traditional Death Metal. The Nuclear Winter Records sound, if you want to follow me in this train of thought, is essentially the basic elements of bands like Immolation, Morbid Angel, Sadistic Intent and Imprecation: an atmospheric and thoroughly evil type of Death Metal with a strong sense of complexity at its core. The very same cornerstones that the label owner’s own Dead Congregation is also built upon. Yet, Mortual also has a strong resemblance with blunt force sort of Death Metal like early Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, Rottrevore, Infester or the majority of the early grinding Finnish Death Metal bands.
‘Altar Of Brutality’ very much lives up to its name. The album is built out of brutality and mild complexity, but all poured in a mould of very strong song writing. It is dark and brooding, but it is exciting and extremely dynamic at the same time. It really reminds me of bygone days when virtually every Death Metal band sounded different and had something unique to offer. That idea is reinforced by the excellent, dry production, which at times is reminiscent of the first three Cannibal Corpse records. Yet, while it might recall those early, old school Death Metal classics and the overall sound is more than just authentic, it does not feel forced or artificial in any way. This is truly an old school Death Metal enthusiast’s delight and yet another highlight in Nuclear Winter Records’ consistently impressive selection.
