Album Review: Appalling – Inverted Realm (Redefining Darkness Records)

Out on May 3rd 2019 via Redefining Darkness Records, Inverted Realm is the new album from blackened death metal band, Appalling.

How do you stand out in the black/death combo world these days? Simply by doing it better then most. Inverted Realm is uncultivated bleak horror, raw and twisted but darker and deeper then just that. What we have here is an evil sounding record, one that claws its way into your brain.

The opening track, Hot Coals for Branding is a strong start with singed edges to the riffs, a heated vocal performance and bursts of hard and heavy metal intensity. One of only two tracks that go over 5 minutes, it’s a hell of a start.

Both Shameful Kiss and Epileptic Sermon are far shorter but really up the disgust in the vocals, growling and gurgling away before unleashing hellish heaviness. A violent and in your face pairing.

There is no relief from the heat though as Artifact and Vessel blasts away with a slower and filthier death metal rhythm. A Mutilator at Large is down-right disgusting, such is the power of the riffs and vocals. Before Critical Thinking ensures what we have here is one of the more interesting blackened death metal releases heard this year. Yes, it’s not exactly original but as we said at the start, who cares when it’s done so damn well!

It’s capped off with the most riff-heavy track of the bunch in Templar. An absolute raging maelstrom of metal that picks you up, tosses you about before dumping your sorry self on the floor.

Appalling – Inverted Realm Full Track Listing:

1. Hot Coals for Branding
2. Shameful Kiss
3. Epileptic Sermon
4. Artifact and Vessel
5. A Mutilator at Large
6. Critical Thinking
7. Templar

The album can be ordered over on Bandcamp.