A Monstrous Memento
In terms of extreme music some of the heaviest records have come from the Southern States of America. Like their hometown brothers Mastodon, Atlanta's Withered are of a new breed of acts the bend the genres of metal to create their own sludgy sound. Fusing the death metal groove of Entombed to a black metal atmosphere and a punky Southern sludge metal work ethic and you has a devastating combination. Their debut on Germany’s Lifeforce Records, the home to acts like Caliban, Heaven Shall Burn and All That Remains, Withered are finally earning some much overdue credit especially with recent tours with Exhumed, Misery Index and the mighty Mastodon.
Opening track 'Its All Said' kicks off with a traditional death metal rhythm before venturing into a twisted collage of death metal and grindcore. Tracks like 'Silent Grave' and 'Fear And Pain That Cripples Me' are blast beats of fury whilst songs such as Among Sorrow and Like Locusts are nine minute epics. Withered are perhaps the modern equivalents to the late innovative At The Gates with their uncanny ability to place both death and black metal together so well.
'Memento Mori' is a chilling record dealing with the subject of death and how affects people. Add a layout from acclaimed record sleeve artist Paul Romano whose previous clients include Mastodon and Trivium. Like their Scandinavian counterparts, Withered produce some clean cut black metal that sounds as sharp as Viking steel.
With 'Memento Mori' meaning a reminder of death and mortality, with a sound like this Withered could certainly wake the dead.