Exmortem is one of the few good death metal bands left on the Danish metal scene. They started out in 1992 with the band name Mordor - in 2001 they released their last album Berzerker Legions and today they are out with Pestilence Empire.

The style of Exmortem's music is pure old school extreme death metal; it is not melodic, not atmospheric or symphonic - it is merely intense, extremely fast and it has a very high technical level. The rhythms are very complex, and all the musicians seem to master their instrument very well. The growling vocals of Simon fit the extreme sound well. Like always in this genre there is a heavy use of double bass drums and tremolo picking.

Pestilence Empire has a nice sound - it was recorded in Tue Madsen's Antfarm here in Aarhus, Denmark.

Exmortem certainly doesn't redefine any genres with this album, but they deliver a very solid performance with a high level of intensity. Extreme death metal is excellent for live performances. I actually prefer to hear this kind of music played live - for some reason it just works better that way. The primitive style of the music is not varied enough to keep me interested for a longer time while hearing it on the stereo - I am sure other people see it another way though.

Funerary Sculpture is a fast and brutal song - which is 100% straightforward. It has some interesting riffs, and I am quite impressed with the constant pace of the song (actually that goes for all songs on this album) - it has no slow parts! Playing this music must be better than working out. Pestifier is another cool song - it has a great drive, and it is brutal all the way through.

Grand Dome of Destruction is extremely cool. However when I first heard it I thought it sounded very familiar - it sounds very much like the title track Berzerker Legions from Exmortem's last album. Still I think this is one of the groovier tracks on the album. Icecold Ugliness (part 2) is a continuation of a song from the last album. It has a nice intro building on the first part, and it progresses into a very heavy song.

Pestilence Empire is a pretty good album, and I would recommend it to fans of Exmortem and extreme death in general. Just don't expect to hear something completely new or innovative. I rate the album 6.5 for a good and solid performance.

Written by Anders
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
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Ratings

Anders: 6.5/10

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Comment by Jónathan (Anonymous) - Saturday, September 6, 2003

I think the band is not bad. Pestilence empire could be recorded in early nineties, becaus e it sounds really similar to this epoch bands, specially Deicide and Morbid Angel. There is something of Nile and Hate Eternal, and definitely, this stuff. Fast picked scales, fast drums, and agressive voice. No much technique, by the way, but an excellent production. Well, what the fuck; fortunately bands like that appear, but I guess they should work harder.