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INTOLERANCE "Waking Nightmares Of An Endless Void" CD (Memento Mori 2024)
The impressive 2nd full-length by this Spanish band. The Death Metal mongrels collectively known as Intolerance hail from Zaragoza, the same city that Ataraxy are natives of. Spawned back in 2015, this quartet's intent is to pay homage to timeless Death Metal and the fetid stench that exuded from the malicious tones of the bands that populated the scene and helped define the genre back in the late 80's and the early 90's. Nothing fancy or wimpy here: only demise and putrefaction to be found when you creep in Intolerance's mortuary. After a demo in 2016 and an EP in 2020, Intolerance made good on their massive potential in 2022 with the celebrated debut album "Dark Paths of Humanity". Aligned again with Memento Mori, the Spaniards continue to honor the old ways of Death Metal whilst adding their own gutted and grimy personality to it with the follow-up, "Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void". If their debut album was in the wheelhouse of 1991, then Intolerance's second album is perhaps time-stamped 1992 or even 1993. Which is to stay, while their noble foundation is as firm as ever -classic Bolt Thrower, Grave, Asphyx, Morgoth, Entombed, Convulse, Obituary and Unleashed- there's daresay a bit more groove or at least swagger to their streamlined surge here. Whereas those Dark Paths crushed bones underneath tank treads, these Waking Nightmares gallop and grind with a catchiness that cannot be denied. Granted, Intolerance were subtly nuanced and surprisingly dynamic already, but the ever-darker hues and almost-evil melodicism they touch upon here puts them closer to the likes of classic Unanimated, Dismember, Hypocrisy, Desultory and earliest Necrophobic. Still a Death Metal record for Death Metal maniacs, by Death Metal maniacs, but somewhere a crucifix is being turned upside down! Once again graced with haunting cover art, this time courtesy of Juan Alberto Hernandez, and yet another devastating production, Intolerance continue their masterful march with "Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void" and find themselves in the embrace of evil!