One of the greatest joys lost since the days of tape trading is finding demos like Fetid’s debut demo for Baneful Genesis Records, Headsplit Records, and Extremely Rotten Productions called Sentient Pile of Amorphous Rot. It’s a stomach churner – a mix of sludge, grindcore and death metal that will surely impress fans of a gore-obsessed slow to mid-tempo to blastbeats’ mix of the aforementioned sub-genres. The band hails from Seattle, Washington, known throughout the nineties as the birthplace of grunge music. It is ironic that Fetid’s own guitar tones and production values will remind listeners of the downtuned guitar riffs that had made grunge famous.
But, this is not grunge. This is death fucking metal, and Fetid’s riffs literally ooze from the strings, melt into the speakers and vomit onto audiences as only extreme grindcore/death metal can do. Sentient Pile of Amorphous Rot features four tracks that guarantee a fun listen for fans of the style and for fans looking to find something wholly enjoyable – something that mainstream records don’t typically offer mainstream listeners. Get this cassette while supplies last!
The packaging and cover art are also endearing. The riffs are simple and easy to enjoy. The drums are captured nicely, with snare, bass drum and toms resounding with the bottom-end assault and battery. The production captures the sound that suits the band perfectly – keeping the riffs and beats glued in gobs of filth and sludge that will give listeners the sensation of wading naked through heavily polluted waters. The band even does a track introduced by ambient keyboard music that transitions into a crafty riff. The basslines are literally oozing all over the drumkit, and the vocals are impossibly guttural. Just like the infrequent grinding blast sections, the band also grooves at mid-tempo.
Clearly, Sentient Pile of Amorphous Rot is a great listen and a hidden gem for an underground collector’s cassette tape collection. It is also worthy of mention that the band doesn’t do the endlessly overdone Satanic schtick that most “badass” bands use for lyrical inspiration. Extreme metal lovers will smell the stench – Sentient Pile of Amorphous Rot is just the beginning for Fetid, and we at Cvlt Nation eagerly await future efforts from the band. Before you know it, the demo has done playing and a repeat listen is warranted. If filling the bathtub with fish guts from a seafood market and wading in it is your idea of fun, you’ll love Fetid’s debut demo to death!
