Review Summary: All good things must eventually come to an end…
In 2026, the London-based group Atvm disbanded. While we were graced with their presence, they left us with a handful of EPs, splits, and one full-length. The latter, Famine, Putrid, and ***ing Endless, is one of the best metal albums of the 2020s thus far, delivering some of the most effortless genre-weaving death metal in several years, reminiscent of contemporaries Cryptic Shift and Blood Incantation, as well genre-blending forebears Atheist and Martyr.
What is indeed ***ing Endless is energy, which is put forth in such abundance that I am convinced it is impossible for the listener to not be engaged in some way. Tracks stretch an average of 8 minutes long, and each one is paced admirably. Care was afforded to highlight motifs (i.e. riffs) that are sure to beckon repeat listens. The same is true for every track, for admirers of guitar, bass, drums, and the caveman barks of death metal vocalists. Not a moment is wasted on this album. वाघनख [Vagh Nakh] begins with thrashy tremolo-picked fury before making way for ethereal, almost dreamy guitar sequences, subsequently picking the pace back up and marrying the two styles as crawling bass lines and furious drum fills colour the entire sonic spectrum. Sanguinary Floating Orb and Squeal In Torment begin highlighting the chunky bass lines of Luke Abbott and colourful and dense drumming mastery of Francis Ball. Moments of technical furiosity, such as the refrain of the track Ⲁⲛⲋ-ⲟⲩ Ⲙⲁⲧⲟⲩ are skilfully punctuated by moments of cool atmosphere, like the very smooth and jazzy bridge of Squeal in Torment. Atvm are masters of using lightness to emphasize heaviness; introducing brief languidity to follow with blistering pace; invoking calm to disturb it brutally with energetic noise.
Other standouts include… every other track. They Crawl and Picture of Decay are candy for riff, line, and fill enjoyers, which contain no dearth in the same atmosphere and contrasting energies. Picture of Decay spends several moments giving the spotlight to Luke Abbott's aforementioned incredible bass work, wrapped in sections of atmospheric soaring guitar leads from Tom Calcraft and Harry Bray's demented barking. Slud begins immediately as Picture of Decay starts to transition into a new section (creating the effect of a 2-part closing song) and wraps up 56 minutes of indefatigable musicianship with some straight up disgusting drumming from Francis Ball, and Harry Bray belting out the words matching title to the album, culminating in the instrumental equivalent of bashing your skull in with a rock. I wish this album were ***ing Endless.
Evidently, there is a lot of good to say about the album, and not much negative. Some may find the vocals monotonous, but it's a feature of the genre and, frankly, they fit this masterpiece perfectly thanks to Harry Bray's energy and primal delivery. Instrumentals are incredible and creative without being overly indulgent - they didn't sacrifice cohesion and straight-up great riffs for overindulgent prog wackiness. It's a credit to this band, for which it is a crying shame they are no longer together, that they can pack such creativity and several lifetimes of riffs into 56 minutes. This album has few peers.
4.9/5
