When we look at the widespread trend of comebacks among old bands, especially ignited by 2006 as a catalyst year, it’s clear that most of these returns don’t deliver particularly groundbreaking albums. Of course, there are many exceptions to this rule. While thrash and black metal scenes continue to produce satisfying, roots-connected old-school sounds, the old-school death metal scene doesn’t offer as many releases. On top of that, the scene’s obsession with melodic, modern, technical, and progressive elements sometimes overshadows the straightforwardness of death and grindcore.
Recently, alongside countless bands like Autopsy, Cancer, Impetigo, Obituary, and Asphyx, Dutch veterans Pestilence—who shaped death metal in the early ’90s—returned, sparking paranoia about whether their comeback would flop. That paranoia partly proved unfounded, yet also somewhat justified, since Pestilence greeted us again with a rather average album.
Tracklist:
Devouring Frenzy (2:54)
Horror Detox (3:20)
Fiend (3:29)
Hate Suicide (4:18)
Synthetic Grotesque (3:57)
Neuro Dissonance (3:28)
Dehydrated II (3:47)
Resurrection Macabre (3:47)
Hangman (2:52)
Y2H (3:39)
In Sickness & Death (5:00)
Chemo Therapy (5:00)
Out Of The Body (4:31)
Lost Souls (4:33)
Recorded at Hansen Studios in Denmark, the album may initially shock you. Given the demands of modern death metal, you hear a Pestilence that’s become quite fast and brutal. Mameli pushes his vocals to an extreme level, spewing anger and setting the tone. The new drummer, Wildoer, impresses with his ferocious speed and unique technique, which can be considered a positive foundation for the album. His blast beat precision, pedal work, and agile attacks demonstrate his mastery.
On bass, Tony Choy—a well-known name from Atheist and Cynic but new to Pestilence—delivers thunderous lines that fulfill his role admirably. In short, from a musicianship standpoint, there’s nothing disappointing here. The increased use of technical riffs blended with Pestilence’s classic riff style may appeal to some while alienating others. The solos are certainly headbanging quality and clearly well-crafted.
Those familiar with Testimony of the Ancients or Consuming Impulse will recognize a strong connection between those classic Pestilence records and this album’s brutality. This is Pestilence redefined: pure death metal with revolutionary drumming and vocal and riff elements.
Of course, expecting a carbon copy of those albums with no modern influence would be unfair and foolish. Although they preserve their roots, Pestilence now embraces a brutal sound that sometimes borders on grindcore, incorporating melodies and riffs heard in some of today’s post-modern thrash/death bands—a sound I personally feel doesn’t suit Pestilence. The arrangements are complex, and the production is very clean, with all instruments well-balanced, reflecting a digital polish that some may accept. However, I’m sure many dedicated Pestilence fans won’t care for that.
Regarding the cover art: it depicts mysterious, mummified ancient Egyptian kings—a somewhat unusual theme for Pestilence, yet not so unusual in the death metal realm.
There are 11 new tracks, plus three re-recorded classics from three of their classic Pestilence albums: “Chemo Therapy,” “Out Of The Body,” and “Lost Souls,” which serve as bonus bombs on the album, bringing the total to 14 tracks. A notable detail is that on these three re-recordings, Wildoer avoids the rapid blast beats he employs elsewhere, opting for rhythms that preserve the original feel.
Among the new tracks, the longest is “In Sickness & Death,” featuring crawling riffs (especially the main riff) that drag you into a dark sea, with a trance-inducing chorus and a solid display of chemistry between Mameli and Choy. “Horror Detox,” with its hellish intro and tempo, ranks among the most aggressive tracks and is a prime example of Mameli’s raw, wild growls at their peak. “Neuro Dissonance,” “Y2H,” and “Hangman” exemplify the brutal death metal interaction with Pestilence’s signature style—wild growls from Mameli combined with precise blast beats saying, “This is today’s Pestilence.”
“Fiend” delivers a somewhat familiar Pestilence vibe with quality riffs, a slower tempo, stop-start rhythms, and hallucinatory guitar melodies that continually claw at your ears—a unique addition to the album. The title track, “Resurrection Macabre,” maintains a steady, slow pace throughout. It revisits early ’90s death metal with dark, quality riffs and Wildoer’s inventive drum patterns, giving the song a well-executed update.
Pestilence returned not with a masterpiece, nor a failure. Although it won’t satisfy those longing for the classic Pestilence experience fully, it offers a distinct alternative by building modern death metal concepts upon their roots. They’ve combined old-school death metal with modern European death metal and today’s New York and Florida brutal styles, balancing technicality with straightforward brutality. Definitely give it a listen.