Artist: Worm Altar
Country: USA
Label: Self-Released
Formats: Demo Tape
Year: 2025
After the release of the band’s ‘Astral Scourge’-EP from Summer 2023, it was rather quiet around Worm Altar. Usually one-man bands tend to release one demo or EP after another, so it was a surprise to realise Worm Altar didn’t jump that train. But honestly with not having expected it, it was equally surprising to see Worm Altar return. Although you might have thought that the band laid dormant for about two years, nothing of that seems the case. Worm Altar doesn’t only return with a new promo tape, it returns as a full-fledged band.
Worm Altar mastermind Scott Martin now gets the help from a bassist and a drummer, shapeshifting the band into a true power trio. And power is still very much present in the revamped Worm Altar. Honestly, it feels even better with real drums. The programmed drums on the debut demo from 2022 certainly had its charm and felt like a much more mature sounding brutal Grindcore-fuelled Death Metal band from the turn of the millennium, a drummer of flesh and bone certainly adds so much to the organic sound of the band.
But, other than that, on a musical level Worm Altar is still very much the same. The mishmash of old Paradise Lost, Disma, Incantation, Anatomia and Funebrarum still very much fits the bill. In the review of ‘Astral Scourge’ I also hadded diSEMBOWELMENT as an extra reference, ‘Promo 2025’ has even a bit more of that old-and-slow sort of Death Metal to it with a strong emphasis to the reverbed vocals of Scott.
As a whole, this 2-track demo feels like a good step up from the older formula and I am sure with Worm Altar being a full band it might open a lot more doors. Yet, I do hope that the band does not lose its previously characteristic and by me praised dynamics, due to an increased influence of the diSEMBOWELMENT-like sluggishness in these two new songs the band lost some of its recognizability. For now, on a 10-minute demo that still works fine, not too sure about that for a full-length (if that’s even in the works). Let’s see what musical choices will be made and what the future will bring for Worm Altar, I have long been convinced that the talent of the musicians at least will not be to blame.
