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Lepers (1993)
Released in 1993, Lepers is the first full-length from the Polish band Mortal Slaughter. This is somewhat raw death/thrash with a strong late '80s feeling, which makes sense given the band originally formed in that era. The vocals are raspy and decayed, in the vein of the old classics from Death, Obituary, and Pestilence, and this adds a convincingly deathlike aura to the material.
The songwriting is also rooted in the late '80s era, when thrash and death metal were still closely connected. The riffing often brings to mind albums like Leprosy or Consuming Impulse, though there's a stronger emphasis here on fast, energetic thrash riffing rather than the chromatic death metal style more common by the early '90s. These guys were clearly fans of Slayer as well, since they sort of lifted the intro to "Dead Skin Mask" to use for "Masterful Religions", for some reason.
The production is actually kind of abrasive, particularly due to the razor-sharp guitar tone. This is certainly a recording that places most of the focus on the guitars while the rest is slightly buried. Only the lead solos manage to cut through clearly, and they mostly serve to enhance the atmosphere with eerie passages rather than just throwing in random bursts of shredding.
By 1993, so much of death metal had become generic and standardized, just a bunch of clones going to the same handful of studios. This resulted in a lot of flat, lifeless records flooding the underground. An album like Lepers is a breath of fresh air. "Commissioned Murder" and the title track are highlights though the whole thing is solid and consistent. While it may not be original, Mortal Slaughter stayed true to their roots and better captured the true spirit of the style. If you're into raw late '80s death/thrash and death metal, this is essential.
The songwriting is also rooted in the late '80s era, when thrash and death metal were still closely connected. The riffing often brings to mind albums like Leprosy or Consuming Impulse, though there's a stronger emphasis here on fast, energetic thrash riffing rather than the chromatic death metal style more common by the early '90s. These guys were clearly fans of Slayer as well, since they sort of lifted the intro to "Dead Skin Mask" to use for "Masterful Religions", for some reason.
The production is actually kind of abrasive, particularly due to the razor-sharp guitar tone. This is certainly a recording that places most of the focus on the guitars while the rest is slightly buried. Only the lead solos manage to cut through clearly, and they mostly serve to enhance the atmosphere with eerie passages rather than just throwing in random bursts of shredding.
By 1993, so much of death metal had become generic and standardized, just a bunch of clones going to the same handful of studios. This resulted in a lot of flat, lifeless records flooding the underground. An album like Lepers is a breath of fresh air. "Commissioned Murder" and the title track are highlights though the whole thing is solid and consistent. While it may not be original, Mortal Slaughter stayed true to their roots and better captured the true spirit of the style. If you're into raw late '80s death/thrash and death metal, this is essential.
(23 May 2025)
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