Vertiginous - Incessant Affliction Review: A Brutal Journey into Death Metal
Vertiginous, an Indonesian death metal duo, has unleashed their sophomore album, 'Incessant Affliction', on the world, and it's a brutal, relentless journey into the depths of the genre. With a sound that recalls early Suffocation, Devourment, and Cannibal Corpse, the album is a relentless teeth-rattling clatter that induces merciless pulverization. But does it incubate an infectiously good time or leave us dying to be put out of our collective misery?
The album opens with 'Suffering, Misery, and Slaughtering', a track that surges forth with tortured, inhuman vocals, flurries of snare abuse, and lawless stringed onslaught. It sets the stage for the album's violent incursion, as each track roils with the seething intensity of touchstone titans. Musically, Vertiginous keeps it simple, but with a relentless teeth-rattling clatter that induces merciless pulverization.
However, the lack of diversity between songs is a hindrance. The album is a half-hour of relentless brutality, with no peak or passage that sticks with me after 'Unclear Misery' fades into the ether. The production pushes everything to the fore, but given the genre, this embodies an appropriate choice. The sonic concussion is a calculated bludgeon rather than the result of a glossy or careless mix, and even with Vertiginous relentlessly flogging your skull, Incessant Affliction rumbles with a carefully honed depth.
Vertiginous could stand to add some diversity to Incessant Affliction, but they elect some pretty mouthwatering choices as well. The performances satisfy as well, with Bima's frog-stomping gutturals churning guts and bowels with seismic malevolence. Prasetyo, meanwhile, handles all instrumentation, impressing with his clangorous drumming. The guitars are suitably chaotic and deadly, although a more focused effort on riff development would go a long way towards solidifying identities for individual songs.
Despite the knocks against Incessant Affliction when evaluated as a whole, taken a song at a time, Vertiginous supplies killer tricks sopping with venomous barbs. I like it more than the score may reflect, but the lack of distinction between songs unfortunately hampers my desire to return to it. Still, I'll be interested in what Vertiginous cooks up next, because their brand of unrestrained brutality evinces a potent batch of death metal. While Incessant Affliction doesn't prove as contagious as I'd hoped, the disease is rotten enough for fans to give it a whiff or three.
Rating: Mixed
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Comatose Music (https://www.comatosemusic.com/site/)
Websites: Bandcamp (https://comatosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/incessant-affliction) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vertiginousbrutal/)
Releases Worldwide: August 7th, 2026
