Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave
Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave leaves little room for detours. Witch Vomit keep their songs short and give the riffs enough character to work immediately. The album sounds dirty and threatening, but the rhythms also make it unusually engaging. Carefully developed songs sit beneath the rough surface.
From Rotten Guts immediately reveals that combination. Its guitars sound urgent while a change to a heavier rhythm maintains the tension. Tempter's deep growls do not remain on the same note throughout. Higher screams give his delivery additional colour without removing its rough character.
Dead Veins makes the atmosphere even more oppressive. The pace increases before a restless solo moves forward, then the music settles into a heavier movement again. These contrasts make the song easier to follow. Guitar parts respond to its structure and contribute more than additional activity alone.
Dripping Tombs has the same strong connection between fast riffs and brief melodic details. Solos sound fierce and unrestrained, yet they also give the heavy music something recognisable. Filth's drumming helps make the loose, restless movement convincing. It stays lively enough to keep giving the riffs another push.
The early songs do finish in very similar ways through samples. That becomes noticeable because those endings appear so close together. The foundation will also feel familiar to anyone who knows much older death metal. The record primarily succeeds through the quality of its execution rather than an entirely new sound.
Closing track Fumes of Dying Bodies brings the fast and slower sides firmly together once more. The short running time then feels like an advantage. Witch Vomit have enough strong ideas to maintain a fierce, concentrated record. The music is rough, heavy and clearly made by a band who understand how a riff can carry a song.
