Album Review: Brutality – Sempiternity (Emanzipation Productions)

Being a band with a well-documented turbulent career, Brutality managed to have a fine body of discography work in their on-and-off career. Four studio albums that put them among the best death metal bands that the Tampa scene, in Florida, has exported to the world.

When Brutality announced, in October 2020, the band would be splitting up, the whole world was left stranded – once again – except for one person. Michael H. Andersen, Emanzipation Productions A&R, saw that as an opportunity to release a kind of a swansong for the band and approached them to do so. As Brutality had two new songs in store, the members started to, slowly, get their heads around the idea of a final release, and this is how ‘Sempiternity’ decided to take form.

‘Orchestrated Devastation’ and ‘Fluent In Silence’ were recorded in studio, and Brutality decided to add two old tracks – ‘Crushed’ and ‘Artistic Butchery’ – which were re-recorded in 2018, and only available until now in a limited 7” EP self-released by the band. Finally, the group included four tracks (These Walls Shall Be Your Grave, Cries Of The Forsaken, Cryptorium and 48 To 52) recorded live at the Maryland Deathfest in May 2019.

The result is ‘Sempiternity’, an album that started out as a “swansong”, but had the band leaving the door open instead of closing it once and for all.

Vocalist Scott Reigel says:

When we were in the studio doing those songs, we realized we didn’t want to say that, to see those as our final recording. And we asked Michael not to promote this as our swansong anymore… It started with us listening to the live stuff at Maryland and thinking how fucking incredible it sounded, especially with now Jarrett on second guitar. This is hands down the best line-up we ever had and from now on, it’s going to be the five of us or nothing.

Sempiternity will be released in digital, CD and LP (black, white, transparent violet and transparent orange variants available, each limited to 500 units) by Emanzipation Productions on May 27th, 2022.

Talk about rising from the ashes. Regardless of its original plan as a ‘swansong’ release to a ‘let’s see what the future holds’ release, Sempiternity will still be an important record in the Brutality catalogue. Mainly because it’s a mix of what and who Brutality was and are now. New tracks, old tracks (given a makeover) and live tracks!

It’s the two new tracks that kick things off; Orchestrated Devastation and Fluent in Silence. As mean and nasty, as hard and heavy, as death metal as ever. If you need any proof that Brutality are necessary, look no further than these new offerings. Brutality have always lived up to their name and that clearly isn’t changing anytime soon based off the guttural heavy horror that these tracks exude.

The next two tracks are the re-recorded older efforts. Artistic Butchery and Crushed. A pair of classic Floridan death metal heavyweights that force you to gurn and gnash your teeth through aggression. Fresh life breathed into tracks that have the old school feel but none of the old-school production.

Finally, the second half of the album is all about Brutality live as the group tear 2019’s Maryland Deathfest some new holes. Four tracks; These Walls Shall Be Your Grave, Cries of The Forsaken, Cryptorium and 48 To 52. Each a blistering example of why Brutality hold so much sway amongst their fanbase. As far as live recordings go, the sound is impeccable but really capture the rawness that such an intense live show would be.

Brutality – Sempiternity Full Track Listing:

1. Orchestrated Devastation
2. Fluent in Silence
3. Artistic Butchery (Antecedent)
4. Crushed (Antecedent)
5. These Walls Shall Be Your Grave (Live)
6. Cries of the Forsaken (Live)
7. 48 to 52 (Live)
8. Cryptorium (Live)

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