MORTUAL – Altar of Brutality

From Costa Rica to Greece via Nuclear Winter Records, Mortual finally makes their full-length debut, now reaching ears across much of the globe. Active since 2015, the San José band has previously released a demo, a split, and two EPs, most notably Evil Incarnation (2023), all of which showcase their potential. Now, streamlined to a three-piece lineup, they’ve retained that quality while stepping up their game. With Altar of Brutality, Mortual improves across nearly every aspect, both technically and stylistically. Over eight tracks, they explore multiple shades of traditional death metal, revisiting the ’90s without ever straying from their core path.

 

Opener Mortuary Rites and follow-up Necromancy Ritual deliver groovy structures topped with demonic growls reminiscent of Sadistic Intent, paired with blistering solos that feel lifted straight from Altars of Madness. Slower, doom-infused moments appear in Divine Monstrosity, maintaining a strong balance between crushing riffs and soaring leads, while Fiendish Visions alternates between sheer speed and groove to keep the momentum alive. Skeletal Vortex and the title track encapsulate the album’s essence, blending all the techniques displayed earlier, before closing with the atmospheric, instrumental Ecstasy of Death.

 

There’s little in the way of innovation or flashy technical wizardry, but Mortual demonstrates full command of their craft. The riffs are memorable in their simplicity, the growls cavernous yet present, and the drums remain massive, particularly during tempo shifts—a feat that’s far from easy. The production is just right for their sound: raw without ever feeling like a rehearsal take. For fans of Incantation, Grave Miasma, and the darker corners of underground death-doom, Altar of Brutality is a must-listen. It’s not flashy, but it has personality—and in a genre like death metal, that counts for everything.