Bludgeon - Devoted To Lunacy

Bludgeon is an extreme death metal band from Essex UK. This 3 headed band was founded in 1994 by Zach and Tim. After a small search for a good drummer they concluded that they would use a drum computer because there were no drummers available that could drum their extreme style of music. Before "Devoted To Lunacy" they released the first demo in 1997 and their second in 2000. They were seen as a serious force in the metal underground. Bludgeon released "Realm Of Decay" in 2001 and this was their first EP. After that they were picked up by Life Fluid Records who re-mastered and re-released it as a 3 split record in 2005 named "And Then There Were Three". Together with the bands Corps Carving and Twitch Of The Death Nerve.

Few members would come and go until 2007 when Chris joined the band. With his good technical guitar skills he would take Bludgeon to another level and the band started to write new material. Fast forward, this brings us to "Devoted To Lunacy". "Devoted To Lunacy" is the latest album of Bludgeon. I hear a sinister intro that sounds like a summoning, this album kicks off. The songs on this album are an absolute mixture of blast beats, fast guitars, death growls, pig screams and a hell of a bpm's. Except for one song called 'Malefic Volition'. This song is acoustic in the mist of the chaos on this album. Instead of a violent tone, this song sounds a bit sad because of the timing, the melody and the atmosphere.

Another song that I like is 'Hideous Malformations Through Incest'. Starting with a small drum intro followed by complete mayhem. The guitar parts in the middle of the song are very tight and I think they sound very good because of the fast riffs. After that there is a little bit of a guitar solo, a little breather so to say. Being followed by a blast beat and some very technical guitars and finally the songs ends with a growling outro.

The rest of the album is something that I am going to keep for yourselves to listen to. I tell you that this is not an album for the faint hearted and only should be listened at maximum volume. I like the album a lot and sometimes it feels like everything sounds the same because of the fast drums, guitar and tempo. But I can assure you that that is not the case. There is some diversity on this album, because of different guitar parts and difference in blast beats and machine gun sounding double bass parts. I have to give my compliments to Bludgeon for releasing such a tight album at this speed, and I would certainly recommend you to listen to it if you are an extreme metal fan.

This album receives 4 stars because of the high technicality and the absolute guttering vocals on this album.

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1. Intro
2. Fascination With The Lifeless
3. Cognizant Dichotomy
4. Lust The Carrion
5. Dreaming Of The Meathooks
6. Hideous Malformations Through Incest
7. Cattleprod Episiotomy
8. Malefic Volition
9. Before The Taxidermy Begins...
10. Erogenous Catamenia
11. Tenebris Aeternum