Album Review: AHTME – Mephitic (Unique Leader Records)

Technical Death Metal monsters ATHME return with their second album Mephitic, a noxious mix of wizardry and brutality, delivered with obscene ferocity.

Forming in Kansas City Missouri under the name The Roman Holiday, AHTME bring a signature and unique sound to the table. After a long journey solidifying their sound, they renamed as AHTME and their 2018 debut album under that name Sewer Born turned many heads, establishing them firmly in the US death metal scene.

Now, they return with Mephitc, out on July 24th 2020 via Unique Leader.

Like a school of bloody-thirsty piranha, AHTME get to the flesh stripping brutality immediately with the crunch and snapping of bone that is Swarm of Fools. Hyper-active rhythm, thumping drums, ear-shredding riffs and guttural vocals leave little to the imagination.

With barely a pause for breath, AHTME continue their savage tech death assault with Putrid Perforation and Node. A pair that cements just how perplexing the intensity of the band’s sound is. Far too easy to just harp on about how heavy and crushing it is (which it is) where the real impressive elements come from is the technicality.

Technicality that makes Dissolve and Dent really strong efforts. The latter has some the album’s best drumming moments.

The sequels and screams of Hair of the Dog keeps the battering impactful and painful. Before AHTME stretch more of their rippling muscles to produce No Stone Sacred. Here, the masters of noise up the ante for a ripping and roaring heavyweight effort.

Sustaining the quality right to the end, Valley of the Gourds almost has some groove to it before Devourment Empowerment leaves a bloody mess with an explosive finale.

AHTME – Mephitc Full Track Listing:

1. Swarm of Fools
2. Putrid Perforation
3. Node
4. Dissolve
5. Dent
6. Hair of the Hog
7. No Stone Sacred
8. Valley of the Gourds
9 .Devourment Empowerment

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