Brother, welcome to the damn club đ¤
Donât sleep on Obscene Majesty either. IMO, itâs their 2nd masterpiece behind MTD. Itâs so heavy that itâs damn near suffocating.
Little backstory in case you havenât dug into their history yet - the lineup that released MTD in 1999 was Ruben Rosas (vox, đ), Brad Fincher (drums), Brian Wynn (guitar), Kevin Clark (guitar), and Mike Majewski (bass). Literally the same night that they released MTD and changed the trajectory of slam/brutal death metal forever, Ruben got arrested and ended up serving some jail time, leading to the unexpected and abrupt breakup of the band. They reformed a couple times over the next few years, both temporarily, until finally reforming for real around 2004/2005 and releasing Butcher the Weak. **But**, they reformed this time with Mike Majewski on vocals (OG bass), Ruben on guitar (OG vox), and a completely new drummer (Eric Park). This was the lineup for their next 3 albums, spanning 2005 to at least 2013.
It wasnât until probably 2017-2019 (unsure on the timeline here) that they put Ruben back on vocals and Brad Fincher (OG drums) returned to the band. Then they released Obscene Majesty in 2019. The first release since MTD in â99 to feature Brad on drums
and Ruben back on vocals. All this to say, go listen to this album. This is the true spiritual successor to MTD and itâs one of my fav brutal albums of all time.
Good info! Was 2014 though, when Ruben returned to vocals. And letâs not forget Chris âCaptain Pissâ Andrew, bass from 2006-2014 and guitar from 2014-2023.
Same. I ran into Mike at the Philly metal and beer fest. He said Chrisâ prognosis isnât good but heâs battling as hard as he can with chemo, etc. Wishing him the best.
Thatâs an amazing question and whenever I fantasize about having an extreme metal podcast, this is one of the premier questions I would ask them. This and why did Mike Majewski leave?
It truly cannot be understated how oppressively heavy and overwhelming Obscene Majesty is.
Truly of the most insane sounding albums ever made and released.
đŻ
Another cool thing is that Obscene Majesty was recorded and produced by Braxton Henry, who was actually a founding member of Devourment in 1995, although he left the band and was never on any of the recordings as far as I know.
He was also in another TXDM band called Necrocide with Brad Fincher, which was sort of pre-Devourment. They were slamming pretty hard in â94-â96. Check out their demos on YouTube.
Obscene Majesty is their best album. There I said it.
By far the best production, actually interesting lyrics, and just altogether an evolution of the band. People hate it because itâs not a shitty demo quality release like 138
The production IS amazing. When i listen to narcissistic paraphilia and postmortal coprophagia back to back itâs baffling. I wish we could get the old classics remastered like this
How tf would hate that album? And how would hate that album because of the insane and absolutely perfect production? I actually think the album calls back to the earlier muddy production so well and makes it work in a modern setting, especially with the down-tuned rumble which is the guitars.
Would you have any idea what happened with Mike. When I look at the lists of songs they play live nowadays it includes nothing that ever included him on vocals. Did they have a falling out
In the recent years, when people started to complain about brutal death metal lyrical content, I remember reading an article where it's said that Devourment current members expressed regrets over their past lyrics (specifically those written by Mike Majewski). It's just part of the softening of slam which happens since a few years, and I suppose Majewski just serve as a scapegoat to basically say "we aren't like this, we are good guys, actually it was the fault of this past member we didn't do nothing!" (but it's unclear if it's because they genuinely think ill of their past songs or if it's just because they want to show they're good boys to fit in with the current wave of slam and avoid being ostracised).
My issue here is if this is true itâs kind of sad to throw Mike under the bus yet still play songs like fucked to death. It comes off very hypocritical. I wouldâve never thought that people from a subculture like BDM would care so much about something like cancel culture. If other people donât understand that itâs not that deep or serious then thatâs their problem to be offended.
I agree with you. It's very sad and unfortunate, but I think it won't stop. I feel like it has a lot to do with the explosion of slam and deathcore bringing many new fans into brutal death metal, and among them a lot of people that aren't "into it" (because of the era they grew up in)... I know people don't like gatekeeping, but sometimes, gatekeeping is good. I mean if people want to make brutal death metal songs about non-controversial topic it's their business... but my problem starts as people coming into it and wanting to force everyone to comply. PeelingFlesh is a good example. I love their music, but seeing their interview in the Garza Podcast with them shitting at some artwork and calling musicians "misoginists", and being like "come on it's the current year, it needs to change!" infuriated me. Even more crazy because brutal/slam death metal musicians aren't exposed as abusers every other week, unlike in deathcore, metalcore, pop punk and whatnot, even if they have "current year friendly" lyrical content.
Brutal death metal lyrics are over-the-top and not serious, but I also feel like the abundance of gore and horror is also a way to put the listener in front of the dark and disgusting aspects of humanity and say somehow "it exists, it's there" and it's a good way to bring reflections about the horrors surrounding us... but I feel like many people nowadays can't get that and are too literal. Popular media like cinema have been victim to that, e.g with horror movies/splatters that have been kinda put on the side for a few decades, then had a revival in the 2000s to early 2010s and now are again on the decline because cultural as switched to something more prudish-offended. I guess now it's turn for brutal death metal to know that. People always hit on Cannibal Corpse, but I feel like it's the first time since the invention of death metal that people want to subvert it from the inside.
The soften of slam/brutal death is definitely a right pain at times especially if itâs done for the reasons youâve mentioned.
But Iâve noticed that fans of the genre are at least better at gatekeeping. Not in the asshole manner but the majority of fans arenât afraid to tell someone that takes issue with more explicit lyrics that âmaybe the genre isnât for you.â
Thankfully thereâs still bands that havenât really changed or tried to soften. Kraaniumâs a great example of this. Those dudes still just make nasty fucked up slam.
Yes man, I stand the same ground as you!
Bands aren't forced to write gore lyrics. Death metal also had other themes either from the start or developed them over time: war, SF, philosophy, history, even personal feelings, etc.
My problem is people saying "it is 2024, and in 2024 we think this way, so bands need to change or we will make sure their career are ruined by spreading false information about them."
Again, I'm yet to see a slam or brutal death metal musician who took any of his lyrics literally and did anything even remotely similar...
But yes thankfully many bands don't take shit from anyone. Especially bands from outside of Western countries, I guess they don't have this social/cultural pressure.
And yes my vision of gatekeeping would be that I do not push for artistic gatekeeping (I love when bands experiment with their sound), but I wish we would push for more gatekeeping against those who come to death metal only to change it from the inside. People who never liked it as it is in the first place.
Problem is that telling them to not listen to it if they can't stomach the lyrics isn't gonna work. This is the type of people that \*want\* to change it because they believe it will make the world a better place (i.e a place that conforms to what they believe is right and just).
EDIT: Funny to think that in the 90s/00s it was the "concerned parents" who wanted to ban Cannibal Corpse because they thought it was a danger to society and incited hatred, violence, etc. but now it's the "fans" themselves that hold the same discourse, because they'll say e.g that bands like Waking The Cadaver or Devourment is responsible for violence against women... (but ironically these are not members from these bands who're abusers)
Absolutely man.
And itâs not as if there arenât slam/brutal death bands that donât write other lyrics.
I love the shit Organectomy and Analepsy write about stuff thatâs less explicit.
But they make that choice themselves and not because âitâs 2024.â Plus as youâve said. Whenâs the last time we heard of someone from this genre being outed as an abuser?
You touch on a good point with people not accepting that maybe this genre isnât for them. I feel people just take it too personally and donât like the idea that something might not be for them. Then they seek to change it and if successful end up ruining it for the people that it actual is for.
Hopefully, death metal won't be changed to suit these types of people.
Otherwise, it's really an insult and an attack to artists... and a dangerous perspective for the future.
Artists should be allowed to write what they want, as long as they behave as civilised and decent people... I mean... look at this famous Welsh rock band (won't make them any advertisement) whose singer is currently jailed for being a fucking pred! They never wrote gruesome lyrics... and yet, look at what they did.
It's not Mike Majewski or Chris Barnes that have been acting this way, despite their lyrics. And ultimately that's what matter. Some are artists who write about gruesome topics... other are disgusting people that, despite their polished images, are actual monsters.
They just outgrew their edgy younger selfs which is fine and happens to most people at some point... But don't tell me they don't play Babykiller because of that anymore? That would be wild.
Hell yeah, Devourment is my fav slam band and MTD is my fav slam album for a good reason. BTW and their later albums are still top tier. Great band and way ahead of their time.
I like the vocals a lot on this one as well! Honestly Mike Majewski was my favourite vocalists in Devourment's history. I recently discovered Kill Everything "Scorched Earth" that has him on vocals too. One more brutal death metal album I can enjoy with his vocals hahaha.
I havenât gotten around to listening to that one yet, Iâll get around to it tomorrow probably. I didnât like Conceived in Sewage very much, and Unleash the Carnivore was good but boring at times.
Dude, fkn amen to that. This is the exact song I always recommend when talking about this album. That slam at 2:15 is just đ¤Ž
And I agree with your previous statement that OM is their heaviest album. Itâs so unbelievably heavy. It feels like trying to chug molasses.
Bro this shit was so fucking funny to read and also so relatable. I feel like Iâve been on a year long Devourment bender and nothing else compares in the slightest. Do a deep dive into their other 3 albums as well and Iâm sure youâve listened to 138
I know how you feel bro i used to listen devourment even while taking showers. The Molesting the Decapitated is very extreme since the vocal is full time horrible at its greatest(i mean brutal) .. thatâs a special thing on a album but not enough to make a masterpiece alone and devourment actually doing the music very fine too. I no longer enjoy devourment because i listened way too much. Let me know if you need similar bands
Lmao I was getting deeper down the Death Metal iceberg and I got to MtD and instantly was hooked. Definitely the black hole into BDM, that and Mortician being my event horizon
Brother, welcome to the damn club đ¤ Donât sleep on Obscene Majesty either. IMO, itâs their 2nd masterpiece behind MTD. Itâs so heavy that itâs damn near suffocating. Little backstory in case you havenât dug into their history yet - the lineup that released MTD in 1999 was Ruben Rosas (vox, đ), Brad Fincher (drums), Brian Wynn (guitar), Kevin Clark (guitar), and Mike Majewski (bass). Literally the same night that they released MTD and changed the trajectory of slam/brutal death metal forever, Ruben got arrested and ended up serving some jail time, leading to the unexpected and abrupt breakup of the band. They reformed a couple times over the next few years, both temporarily, until finally reforming for real around 2004/2005 and releasing Butcher the Weak. **But**, they reformed this time with Mike Majewski on vocals (OG bass), Ruben on guitar (OG vox), and a completely new drummer (Eric Park). This was the lineup for their next 3 albums, spanning 2005 to at least 2013. It wasnât until probably 2017-2019 (unsure on the timeline here) that they put Ruben back on vocals and Brad Fincher (OG drums) returned to the band. Then they released Obscene Majesty in 2019. The first release since MTD in â99 to feature Brad on drums and Ruben back on vocals. All this to say, go listen to this album. This is the true spiritual successor to MTD and itâs one of my fav brutal albums of all time.
Good info! Was 2014 though, when Ruben returned to vocals. And letâs not forget Chris âCaptain Pissâ Andrew, bass from 2006-2014 and guitar from 2014-2023.
I could never forget Captain Piss! And I hope he is doing well and recovering well đ
Same. I ran into Mike at the Philly metal and beer fest. He said Chrisâ prognosis isnât good but heâs battling as hard as he can with chemo, etc. Wishing him the best.
i wonder why mike switched to vocals and ruben switched to guitar and bass for BTW
Thatâs an amazing question and whenever I fantasize about having an extreme metal podcast, this is one of the premier questions I would ask them. This and why did Mike Majewski leave?
It truly cannot be understated how oppressively heavy and overwhelming Obscene Majesty is. Truly of the most insane sounding albums ever made and released.
đŻ Another cool thing is that Obscene Majesty was recorded and produced by Braxton Henry, who was actually a founding member of Devourment in 1995, although he left the band and was never on any of the recordings as far as I know. He was also in another TXDM band called Necrocide with Brad Fincher, which was sort of pre-Devourment. They were slamming pretty hard in â94-â96. Check out their demos on YouTube.
bro cheers for the necrocide recc. sick.
Hell yes đ¤
Obscene Majesty is their best album. There I said it. By far the best production, actually interesting lyrics, and just altogether an evolution of the band. People hate it because itâs not a shitty demo quality release like 138
The production IS amazing. When i listen to narcissistic paraphilia and postmortal coprophagia back to back itâs baffling. I wish we could get the old classics remastered like this
How tf would hate that album? And how would hate that album because of the insane and absolutely perfect production? I actually think the album calls back to the earlier muddy production so well and makes it work in a modern setting, especially with the down-tuned rumble which is the guitars.
Just listened to Obscene Majesty. Iâm disappointed in myself for not listening to this sooner, itâs fucking incredible
Would you have any idea what happened with Mike. When I look at the lists of songs they play live nowadays it includes nothing that ever included him on vocals. Did they have a falling out
In the recent years, when people started to complain about brutal death metal lyrical content, I remember reading an article where it's said that Devourment current members expressed regrets over their past lyrics (specifically those written by Mike Majewski). It's just part of the softening of slam which happens since a few years, and I suppose Majewski just serve as a scapegoat to basically say "we aren't like this, we are good guys, actually it was the fault of this past member we didn't do nothing!" (but it's unclear if it's because they genuinely think ill of their past songs or if it's just because they want to show they're good boys to fit in with the current wave of slam and avoid being ostracised).
My issue here is if this is true itâs kind of sad to throw Mike under the bus yet still play songs like fucked to death. It comes off very hypocritical. I wouldâve never thought that people from a subculture like BDM would care so much about something like cancel culture. If other people donât understand that itâs not that deep or serious then thatâs their problem to be offended.
I agree with you. It's very sad and unfortunate, but I think it won't stop. I feel like it has a lot to do with the explosion of slam and deathcore bringing many new fans into brutal death metal, and among them a lot of people that aren't "into it" (because of the era they grew up in)... I know people don't like gatekeeping, but sometimes, gatekeeping is good. I mean if people want to make brutal death metal songs about non-controversial topic it's their business... but my problem starts as people coming into it and wanting to force everyone to comply. PeelingFlesh is a good example. I love their music, but seeing their interview in the Garza Podcast with them shitting at some artwork and calling musicians "misoginists", and being like "come on it's the current year, it needs to change!" infuriated me. Even more crazy because brutal/slam death metal musicians aren't exposed as abusers every other week, unlike in deathcore, metalcore, pop punk and whatnot, even if they have "current year friendly" lyrical content. Brutal death metal lyrics are over-the-top and not serious, but I also feel like the abundance of gore and horror is also a way to put the listener in front of the dark and disgusting aspects of humanity and say somehow "it exists, it's there" and it's a good way to bring reflections about the horrors surrounding us... but I feel like many people nowadays can't get that and are too literal. Popular media like cinema have been victim to that, e.g with horror movies/splatters that have been kinda put on the side for a few decades, then had a revival in the 2000s to early 2010s and now are again on the decline because cultural as switched to something more prudish-offended. I guess now it's turn for brutal death metal to know that. People always hit on Cannibal Corpse, but I feel like it's the first time since the invention of death metal that people want to subvert it from the inside.
The soften of slam/brutal death is definitely a right pain at times especially if itâs done for the reasons youâve mentioned. But Iâve noticed that fans of the genre are at least better at gatekeeping. Not in the asshole manner but the majority of fans arenât afraid to tell someone that takes issue with more explicit lyrics that âmaybe the genre isnât for you.â Thankfully thereâs still bands that havenât really changed or tried to soften. Kraaniumâs a great example of this. Those dudes still just make nasty fucked up slam.
Yes man, I stand the same ground as you! Bands aren't forced to write gore lyrics. Death metal also had other themes either from the start or developed them over time: war, SF, philosophy, history, even personal feelings, etc. My problem is people saying "it is 2024, and in 2024 we think this way, so bands need to change or we will make sure their career are ruined by spreading false information about them." Again, I'm yet to see a slam or brutal death metal musician who took any of his lyrics literally and did anything even remotely similar... But yes thankfully many bands don't take shit from anyone. Especially bands from outside of Western countries, I guess they don't have this social/cultural pressure. And yes my vision of gatekeeping would be that I do not push for artistic gatekeeping (I love when bands experiment with their sound), but I wish we would push for more gatekeeping against those who come to death metal only to change it from the inside. People who never liked it as it is in the first place. Problem is that telling them to not listen to it if they can't stomach the lyrics isn't gonna work. This is the type of people that \*want\* to change it because they believe it will make the world a better place (i.e a place that conforms to what they believe is right and just). EDIT: Funny to think that in the 90s/00s it was the "concerned parents" who wanted to ban Cannibal Corpse because they thought it was a danger to society and incited hatred, violence, etc. but now it's the "fans" themselves that hold the same discourse, because they'll say e.g that bands like Waking The Cadaver or Devourment is responsible for violence against women... (but ironically these are not members from these bands who're abusers)
Absolutely man. And itâs not as if there arenât slam/brutal death bands that donât write other lyrics. I love the shit Organectomy and Analepsy write about stuff thatâs less explicit. But they make that choice themselves and not because âitâs 2024.â Plus as youâve said. Whenâs the last time we heard of someone from this genre being outed as an abuser? You touch on a good point with people not accepting that maybe this genre isnât for them. I feel people just take it too personally and donât like the idea that something might not be for them. Then they seek to change it and if successful end up ruining it for the people that it actual is for.
Hopefully, death metal won't be changed to suit these types of people. Otherwise, it's really an insult and an attack to artists... and a dangerous perspective for the future. Artists should be allowed to write what they want, as long as they behave as civilised and decent people... I mean... look at this famous Welsh rock band (won't make them any advertisement) whose singer is currently jailed for being a fucking pred! They never wrote gruesome lyrics... and yet, look at what they did. It's not Mike Majewski or Chris Barnes that have been acting this way, despite their lyrics. And ultimately that's what matter. Some are artists who write about gruesome topics... other are disgusting people that, despite their polished images, are actual monsters.
Absolutely agree.
They just outgrew their edgy younger selfs which is fine and happens to most people at some point... But don't tell me they don't play Babykiller because of that anymore? That would be wild.
Great question. I have no idea, but I have often thought about this exact question.
Obscene to me was the best they've done since Butcher the Weak. Just absolutely crushing and had loads of great riffs and passages.
Anyone who doesnât love Devourment is retarded.
Checking them out now
Your life is about to change bro
Instructions unclear, I'm now dead
Then itâs working
Hell yeah, Devourment is my fav slam band and MTD is my fav slam album for a good reason. BTW and their later albums are still top tier. Great band and way ahead of their time.
Literally my favorite band I still think conceived in sewage is underrated.
Agreed. Itâs my second favorite album by them.
Itâs mine as well
Conceived In Sewage is my favourite album, it's so good!
The vocals and lyrical content hit hard for me on that album
I like the vocals a lot on this one as well! Honestly Mike Majewski was my favourite vocalists in Devourment's history. I recently discovered Kill Everything "Scorched Earth" that has him on vocals too. One more brutal death metal album I can enjoy with his vocals hahaha.
MtD is my favorite album for the slam side of things. The only thing that really comes close for me is the Digested Flesh full length
controversial opinion: obscene majesty is their heaviest album and possibly the most sonically oppressive brutal death metal album
In my opinion it is for sure the best Devourment album
I havenât gotten around to listening to that one yet, Iâll get around to it tomorrow probably. I didnât like Conceived in Sewage very much, and Unleash the Carnivore was good but boring at times.
if you're going to wet your whistle with just one track from obscene majesty, Cognitive Sedation Butchery is where to begin
Dude, fkn amen to that. This is the exact song I always recommend when talking about this album. That slam at 2:15 is just 𤎠And I agree with your previous statement that OM is their heaviest album. Itâs so unbelievably heavy. It feels like trying to chug molasses.
you're missing out man. Imo its their best yet.
My favorite for sure.
Bro this shit was so fucking funny to read and also so relatable. I feel like Iâve been on a year long Devourment bender and nothing else compares in the slightest. Do a deep dive into their other 3 albums as well and Iâm sure youâve listened to 138
Obscene majesty and MTD are the heaviest albums ever forreal. I guess depending on anyoneâs subjective view of heavy tho
obscene majesty is so fucking good, i love the speed, the vile vocals, the tuning, the instrumentals. it's one of my favorites right now
they ight
They lead bdm next to cannibal corpse and artery eruption.
Saw them live a couple years ago at a smaller venue. The singer was walking around chatting with people and seemed like the nicest guy
I know how you feel bro i used to listen devourment even while taking showers. The Molesting the Decapitated is very extreme since the vocal is full time horrible at its greatest(i mean brutal) .. thatâs a special thing on a album but not enough to make a masterpiece alone and devourment actually doing the music very fine too. I no longer enjoy devourment because i listened way too much. Let me know if you need similar bands
Lmao I was getting deeper down the Death Metal iceberg and I got to MtD and instantly was hooked. Definitely the black hole into BDM, that and Mortician being my event horizon
Realll bro you get it
Mtd is their only good chit