artificialbox
damon r.
Emeritus

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Approval 100%

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Album Ratings 844
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Last Active 04-02-13 8:02 am
Joined 05-17-11

Review Comments 3,786

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11.04.25 i made a zine ♦06.13.25 do you like violence? ♦
05.29.25 Where do you draw the circle?03.28.25 can u suggest me something
03.22.25 my dad's musical takes03.01.25 medicating my neurosis
01.31.25 i'm 30 now12.08.24 a very artificial 2024 ♦
11.24.24 breaking my opeth virginity10.19.24 My top 60 albums of all time
08.07.24 review/writing questions ♦06.04.24 brutal dm por favor??
05.04.24 albums that shaped my youth04.27.24 Artificialbox's Record Collection ♦
01.20.24 Thursday Retrospective01.14.24 A VERY ARTIFICIAL 2023
12.02.23 re-discovering the waterfront01.27.13 100

brutal dm por favor??

this is a specific offshoot of death metal that I never thought I would l like, but the two albums below blew my socks off and now I want MORE.
1Brutalism (USA)
Solace in Absurdity

I think the thing I love most about these two albums is the production, particularly the sound of the drums and the way they cut through the filthy sludge of the guitar, bass and vocals with ear drum rupturing snare hits. It makes my brain happy in a way I can’t fully describe. If y’all can recommend me similar albums that also have similar sounding production that would be dope, but any classic staples would be appreciated as well.
2Defeated Sanity
Disposal Of The Dead // Dharmata

just dont rec me too many at once or else i’ll get overwhelmed and not listen to any of them.
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3Gaffed
Die Already

Hawks

This defs seems like it's a bit more on the accessible side of BDM, which ain't a bad thing for someone like me just getting into the stuff. Nothing toooo outlandish going on here, just a beastly, hyper aggressive DM album with a good ratio of slow to fast parts to keep thing engaging. The kind of music that makes the hair on your neck stand up like you're being hunted by the axe wielding psycho on the album cover. Wasn't super captivated by this but damn, it's a pretty fun and violent listen, and at only 24 minutes long there's very little to complain about!

3.6
4Nithing
Agonal Hymns

Cylinder

HOLY FUCK. I don't think I've ever listened to something so overwhelmingly relentless before that it makes me feel like I can't breathe. Half way through the first song I almost had to check my own pulse. The drums on this album just rattle away at your skull like you're being beaten to death by a gang of 5000 rabid monkeys. The vocals don't even register to me as human, they kind of just become another layer of goopy texture that weaves itself into the rest of the instruments, which is sick. For how utterly incomprehensible this album can be at times, the guitars really pull a lot of weight in making each track stand out with it's own unique flavor by sneaking in all these little discordant hookworm's. Another one that hits just under 24 minutes, is this typical for BMD? I can't say I'm not grateful for the short run times.

4.2 my gf went to the bedroom and shut the door when I put this one on :
5Devourment
Obscene Majesty

FowlKrietzsche

Okay this one is double the length of the previous two but I'd say it justifies it's length with chunky riffs and murky rhythms that are almost grandiose in scale, like some kind of Uruk-hai battle hymns. This doesn't have that super snappy snare tone that I have come to love but the production is still very good and crunchy. Definitely not as overwhelming as that Nithing album but it's just as evil. Vocalist is not too burpy but very monotone which I actually dig it in the context of this sound cause it has this cold, flat affect quality to it that just adds to the feeling of watching an impassive army burn your crops and slaughter your village without remorse. Maybe a tad too long for repeated listens, but very enjoyable nonetheless.

3.8
6Stabbing
Extirpated Mortal Process

Hyperion1001

This is probably the groooviest one yet, but not so groovy that it loses it's edge or ability to inspire fear and disgust. Lots of character and tasteful riffing on this one. Really dig the way they mixed the cymbals too, specifically that one that sounds like a haunting bell chime just hovering on the top of the mix, it's so damn cool, especially when juxtaposed with the really dry snare and absolutely blitzing riffs. Absolutely slayz.

3.9
7Effluence
Psychocephalic Spawning

Futures

This is what I'm talking about, lets fucking goooo. Complete bat shit nightmare fuel that sounds like it came from a garbage can hidden deep inside the amazon rainforest??? Lots of weird sounds and different instruments and tribal elements that I can barely even place. Was that a flute? Is that a drum or two halves of a coconut being hit with a stick? Idk but it's scary af. This is album throws any semblance of predictable song writing out of the window in favour of creating a terrifying soundscapes and it does such a good job at it. It's almost more akin to harsh noise than anything else I've listened to today.

4.5
8Dehumanized
Prophecies Foretold

NexCeleris

Man this album rules. I listened to it a few times in a row at work today and it feel like it places nicely right on the edge of classic OSDM and BDM. One could maybe call it “true” BDM but I am not a metal scholar so please call me out on my BS. Crushing, bleak atmosphere and tons of head bang worthy riffs wrapped in a nice tight 36 min package.

3.8
9Benighted
Icon

botb

Okay, as per the discourse in the comments, this may not be “actual BDM” but it’s a fantastic rec and I’m super grateful for it. The variety in vocals and song structures are very welcome after trudging through monotone mud pits for the past few album. Lots of fast grindy parts and some mosh worthy hardcore riffs too all slathered with a maniacal vocal performance that goes from high to absolutely belching. Very fun album.

4.2
10Amputated Genitals
Human Meat Gluttony

lols

Typically I would never listen to a band with a name like Amputated Genitals or song names such as “Vaginal Skin Grind Vomit”, because I’m a puritan saint, but this shit is nasty, raw and ignorant as hell in a pretty entertaining way. There are actually some good riffs hidden under the wretched filth and snare abuse. This is the first one so far where I felt like the drummer was hitting the snare “just because” lol. These guys understood the assignment but it’s almost TOO obnoxious for me to get repeated enjoyment out of.

3.0
11Perpetual Gestation
Excremental Uremic Fragrance

ThyCrossAwaits

This album has the same aura of overt offensiveness as Mutilated Genitals with songs like “Vaginal Infiltration” except this one is heavier and has better riffs. It opens up with the most atrocious sound I’ve ever heard in my life, what sounds to me like the bones and cartilage of a corpse being ripped apart and chewed on, before heading straight into a 22 minute wall of ripping death metal riffs and vocals that make me sick to my stomach. I think thru listening to these recs I’m realizing that I dont MIND excessively burpy vocals, but I prefer when they are lower in the mix and used more as texture in the way Nithing and Effluence does it.

3.2
12Disgorge (Mex)
Forensick

lols

Okay immediately enjoying this one more than the last two. This also might be the oldest one I’ve listened to yet, since it was released in 2000. I’m actually a little surprised because this is way more brutal than some of the more recent stuff I’ve heard. Holds up super well in comparison to more modern BDM. Vocals are lower in the mix and sound more like a mutated beast than a fat dude with GERD which I appreciate. There’s even a few high screams thrown in for variety which is always nice. Killer riffs and suuuper fast. Good shit.

3.8
13Dripping
Disintegration of Thought Patterns

VlacDrac

Ty based VlacDrac for this one. This is exactly the kind of weird, progressively grotesque sound that initially got me interested in exploring this subgenre more. Lots of cool atmospheric passages, left turn riff switch-ups and weird breaks like that random sci fi sound bite in "Decomposed Fixation" or the hip hop beat in "Passing Through the Spheres..." that makes the pacing of this album feel like you're getting it in bite sized chunks instead of just getting beat over the head relentlessly from start to end. The result is an album that brings a lot of bat shit insane ideas to the table while still being relatively easy to digest. Love it.

Also, just realized this was released in 2002 and not 2023 like it says on spotify. Makes it all the more impressive.

4.0
14Abysmal Torment
Epoch of Methodic Carnage

Jurtz

Honestly was about to turn this one off before the first song ended because the more I listen to this stuff, the more I feel like I need to be more strict about what slips through the cracks, but something sold me on them pretty quick. All of these songs are fast and unrelenting, but they are also relatively long with many of them almost reaching the 5 minute mark. Luckily the band is great at consistently upping the intensity even within the confines of one song, and it feels like there's always something even crazier coming just around the next corner. Nothing that special but pretty damn solid.

3.0
15Beheaded
Ominous Bloodline

Jurtz

This one is a little more up my alley. Heavy as fuck but a bit more creative in the riff department, and a bit more flexibility when it comes to switching up the tempo and mixing in some slower parts. Still doesn't do much for me outside of just being good and heavy.

3.2
16Dying Fetus
Reign Supreme

DType

Wow. I've known about this band foreeeever just because their name was suuuper offensive back in the day, but I never listened to them until now. I'm pretty taken aback by how damn good this is, and I feel like this would actually be the perfect album to transition someone into the more "brutal" side of the genre. Perfect blend of death metal and grind with great riffs, fantastic drumming, engaging song structures, and a diverse vocal performance with more classic death metal vocals and a very tasteful amount of extra low gutturals.

4.0
17Disgorge
Consume the Forsaken

Cylinder

I'm finding it harder and harder to discern what exactly makes a brutal death metal album tick the right boxes for me, but all I know is I love this one. Maybe it has to do with unrelenting intensity mixed with the raw, old school production that creates an oppressive atmosphere which makes the album feel like it's sinking it's teeth into me. I don't know how to describe it in technical terms, but I also very much prefer vocalists with a more consistent vibration if you know what I mean, and this vocalist just sounds fantastic. This shit sounds like it was made in a pitch black dungeon full of fowl beasts and it's just great.

3.9
18Putridity
Degenerating Anthropophagical Euphoria

Cylinder

Oh my gooooodddd the bass tone on this one is enormous, and the double kick goes crazy. Feel very much the same about this one as I do the last, where the production just nails that raw, decayed atmosphere that I love. Also another one under 25 minutes which is very much the preferred album length for this type of music. Good shit.

3.7
19Kronos
Colossal Titan Strife

DType

Love the aesthetic of this album cover lol it's so cool. Great album as well, has some really creative riffing and some surprisingly melodic guitar solos while still maintaining an air of brutality. Fun, engaging song writing too. Love it.

3.8
20Baalsebub
The Sickness of the Holy Inquisition

Cylinder

Woooooo this one has fuckin claws. Super high gain trebly recording which just makes the riffs and vocals sound that much more insane. Snare just sounds like an empty folgers tin or something which is also sick. These bands really love to include sound bites of people getting tortured or killed lol but it's cool, it definitely adds to the scary atmosphere.

3.8
21Skinless
Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead

NexCeleris

This might be one of my favourite recs so far, damn. Dare I say this is brutal death metal with a very hardcore attitude? Wicked World is such a weird/cool closer and sounds like it could’ve come from some NYHC crossover band. Sick riffs galore and a good amount of diversity in the vocal performance. Digging the overall theme of the album too.

4.2
22Deeds of Flesh
Path of the Weakening

NexCeleris

UPDATED RATING: So the thing that completely went over my head the first time I listened to this was just the atmosphere they were trying to create. The album art combined with the howling wind and trudging steps at the beginning of the title track made me realize that this is SUPPOSED to be a cold and bleak record. In a way this record does have a bit of a black metal quality to it where the blasting double kicks and cacophony of frostbitten riffs almost meld into an ambient backdrop for the vocalist to share tales of death and depravity. Originally I said the production was flat but I think the cardboard-esque sound of the drums actually adds to the primitive cold atmosphere quite nicely. Like getting pummeled to death by cold stones. Guitar playing is very good and upon re-listen I actually quite enjoy the juxtaposition between the ever-twisting and evolving riffs over the steady and true blasts of the drums. It's a unique vibe for sure.

4.0
23Blaze Inside
Pure Potenciality

lols

Maybe my problem is that I just don't appreciate good music. Because this is utter shite and I fuckin love it. The compression on this recording is wild and the drums just sound like someone banging on a metal stair railing lol. Vocals are crazy and I can't tell if they are layered or if the singer is doing some weird polyphonic shit. Exciting stuff.

3.5
24Pyaemia
Cerebral Cereal

NexCeleris

Been having a rough week and this album somehow seems to be helping. Great riffs, super dense, evil sound, vocalist rules, skronky bass tone. This hits all the right marks for me, not much more to say!

3.8
25Maggot Colony
Vile Reincarnation

DType

Wow I loooove this one. Borders pretty close to deathcore at times especially with some of those breakdowns but is still far more rooted in death metal than core which I love. Perfect amount of slam. “Catharsis” was a huge surprise, very somber and atmospheric track. Really never expected a BDM band to venture into that territory but I loved it. Fantastic album around with an almost cinematic quality to it. This one is for sure going into regular rotation.

4.2
26Diphenylchloroarsine
Subterranean Existential Warfare

Cylinder

Mind blowing stuff right here, and proof that it’s always worthwhile to commit to hearing every rec. There’s a good chance I would have missed this one if I simply skimmed through and just picked the first few recs. This whole recording just sounds decayed and there are these frequent bass drops that sound like underground explosions are going off. Bass tone itself is the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. I also really appreciate the relatively slower tempo of this album as it gives everything a sludgy, doomier feel to it. Probably one of the best examples so far of the sound of the music matching the theme and artwork of the album, just the whole vibe/atmosphere of this is done so well. Sooo sick thank you based Cylinder.

4.5
27Jenovavirus
Demo 1

Cylinder

Lol broo the vocalist for this band just straight up sounds like The Grudge, it’s awesome. I think there’s a certain amount of comical value to BDM and you have to have a sense of humour to really appreciate it, even though on the surface it’s supposed to be very serious evil stuff. This one tickles the humorous side of the genre for sure but is still crushingly heavy and intense. Like the last rec, this band also plays around with some slower tempo sludgy stuff which I really like. Awesome demo.

3.5
28Abominable Putridity
The Anomalies of Artificial Origin

Futures

Fuck yeaaaah, This one is much more polished sounding than most of the other albums I've listened to so far but it's crazy good. Super memorable songwriting, lots of catchy riffs, sick transitions and left hooks that keep you on the edge of your seat. "Letting Them Fall" in particular stood out as an absolutely stellar track from a songwriting perspective, and "A Burial for the Abandoned" gave me a permanent stank face from 2:30 right to the end. Absolutely insane. This album also employs the nuclear fart bass drops which seems to be a pretty common thing among BDM bands and I really like it. I'm also just a sucker for anything sci-fi themed so this is a huge win in my books.

4.2
29Aborted
Goremageddon: The Saw and the Carnage...

Futures

Insanity! Damn the recs I've checked out today have all been killer and this one is no different. Only took half of one song to click with me. Another one with super engaging songwriting, diverse riff structures, great dual vocal attack and KILLER GUITAR SOLOS which I think are way too underutilized in this subgenre, so it was really refreshing to hear on this album. This band has so many albums lol but I'm gonna have to check some of their other stuff out ASAP.

4.5
30Decrepit Birth
...And Time Begins

NexCeleris

Ok ok I'm sneaking in one more rec before I go to bed because I've been on a roll today. I actually listened to this one a couple times earlier today but wanted to give it a proper sit down listen at home so I could fully digest it. This album is fast, technical and TIGHT as hell, and you might miss something if you don't give it your full attention. Absolutely pummeling riffs with lots of sudden starts and very abrupt song endings which is cool. This album has a lot of gold to offer if you listen close, but damn it all goes by so quick! I can defs see this one growing more with repeated listens.

3.7
31Gorgasm
Masticate to Dominate

evilford

Let's fuckin go. Nothing too absurd going on here, just an incredibly solid DM album with a brutal edge. Some of the best straight up no bollocks riffage on the list. Great solos and vocals and all around memorable songwriting packed into a quick 30 mins. Zero complaints.

4.0
32Malignancy
...Discontinued

Hyperion1001

Defs one of the more unique releases on this list sound wise, they kinda forgo the typical BDM production tricks and do their own thing which is sick. It's hard to describe but the guitars are baked in an almost digitized distortion as if they are being compressed through a Nintendo DS or something lol. idk what pedal that is but it's cool as fuck. Very claustrophobic and busy sounding at times but it still packs enough groovy breakdowns to keep things fun. Love it.

3.8
33Brodequin
Harbinger of Woe

WretchedCacophony

Did this band seriously just drop their first LP in 20 years? Sounds fucking incredible. Really digging the more cavernous, almost black metal style of production on this one. Really suits their style of riffing and makes everything sound massive. Wow this is so fcking good I'm in love.

4.3
34Afterbirth
Psychopathic Embryotomy

Space Jester

I was wondering when someone was gonna rec Afterbirth... but I did not expect it to be this! I remember checking out In But Not Of briefly last year and thinking it sounded cool, but my mind wasn't ready to embrace it yet. This is a super fun demo. Super raw production, crazy vocals and some heavy ass riffs. Can definitely hear all the potential for the genre when I listen to this. Wild that they were doing this kind of stuff in 94!

3.5
35Internal Suffering
Awakening Of The Rebel

naughtcturnal

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!! Holy shit this fuckin rules. Kinda gives me the same first impression as that Nithing album earlier in the list. Just an instantly overwhelming and relentless attack on my senses. So brutal and fast as hell with insane guitar playing that makes me feel like I'm getting attacked by a thousand razor wires. Another one that I can definitely see going into regular rotation.

3.8
36Postcoital Ulceration
Continuation of Defective Existence After Multiple

Cylinder

FFS man I'm getting sick of how good these recs are. Pretty clean production job on this one but it works out perfectly because the riffs really speak for themselves here. This one is just a pure fuckin slam fest and it rules. Last rec was pure agonizing chaos and this one is controlled mass demolition. Chonky ass riffs, heavy ass trudging ass breakdowns, nuclear bass drops and amazing vocal performance. I'm floored!

4.2
37Disavowed
Perceptive Deception

NexCeleris

Might as well just 4 everything from here on out cause my quality gauge is busted from over use. Jokes aside this one is killer indeed. Super dense crunchy prod and big old school vibes which makes sense cause this came out in 2001. Blistering riffs, fantastic drumming. Vocalist sounds like an estranged psycho. Solid af.

4.0
38Heinous Killings
Hung with Barbwire

NexCeleris

You know it's gonna be good when it's not on spotify. Had to go to the depths of youtube for this one and found out this was all recorded by one person, and that he pioneered this "predator vocals" technique which I have to say is my favourite thing about this album. They just sound so unreal in the best way hahah. Whole thing is super lo fi and raw and it owns. Riffs are a little basic but I respect it for it's ingenuity. Lots of fun.

3.6
39Encenathrakh
Encenathrakh

NexCeleris

Another one that is not on spotify, Nex is really bringing the underground heat with these last couple recs. And apparently this has members of Krallice which is sick.

Ok so this one is really quite something. A completely intoxicating/dizzying array of spiraling guitars and drums entangled in an endless free fall conflict with no parachutes in sight. It almost sounds like there's two drummers and 4 guitar players at times, but it's pretty similar to Effluence in the way that the chaos just coalesces into a terrifying soundscape which becomes greater than the sum of it's parts. Absolute mad man music and I love it even though it feels like a feat of endurance and willpower just to sit through the whole thing. On that merit I'm not sure if I can rate it that highly at the moment, but this was a very interesting treat and I am definitely going to add it to my "must re-listen" list alongside Path of the Weakening ;)

3.7
40Orchidectomy
A Prelate's Attrition

Cylinder

+1 points again for no spotify. Man I am SOOOO GLAD I listened to Heinous Killings before I checked this one because I could instantly put a name to those wretched predator vocals hahaha. Holy shit. Literally sounds like the inside of an aliens brain. This is heavy, raw, ignorant and disgusting which is all I can really ask for. A tad repetitive in the riff department but it's hard to complain when the atmosphere is so bleak and crushing. I think I need to see a psychiatrist now, good job Cylinder!

3.8
41Guttural Secrete
Reek Of Pubescent Despoilment

SomeCallMeTim

Brutal, grindy goodness. Probably the most disgusting album thematically speaking. Feels like I'm gonna get put on a watch list just for reading these song titles lol. Really great musically though. Songs are super engaging and flow well throughout the sea of tempo shifts and left hook transitions. Feels pretty similar to Aborted in that way, so I'm a fan, but all the fecal sex torture song titles is a bit much for me lmao.

3.5
42Vomit Remnants
Supreme Entity

BONUS REC!!!

This was rec'd to me by a friend who is not on this website, but I wanted to share it here. Vomit Remnants are from Tokyo and this was their first full length released in 1999! The thing that really sells this album for me is the drum machine that they didn't even TRY to make sound convincing. It's awesome. The drums are so clicky and the cymbals sound sooo fake and out of place, but the vocals, riffs and borderline progressive songwriting are all TOP NOTCH, so the juxtaposition ends up being really endearing/charming. Now I feel like I need to go down a separate rabbit hole of specifically Japanese BDM. Pray for me boys.

4.0
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