A Leftover

Vomiturition's only full-length album was a great payoff from the previous EPs, which were improving in quality, but nowhere quite near this level. While we heard a lot of Florida influence in the earlier material, A Leftover casts a wider net, bringing in a few influences form their fellow Finns and also the Swedish scene. Interestingly, the latter comes more through a sense of composition rather than the ripping Stockholm guitar tone that has remained so trendy over the decades. I can hear a little Dismember at times, but moreover this earns some comparisons to Seance's Fornever Laid to Rest, another European death album which cultivated a clear American influence. There are even some simple, grinding D-beat like rhythms, or death & roll parts to balance out the more technical or progressive components here.

The drumming here is pure thunder, so much going on at times that it can even come off a fraction messy, but it's clearly the beating heart of the material and gives it so much of its fiery impulse. The rhythm guitar is nice and pungent and dense, quite similar to the Head Tales EP, and the guttural vocals have a tone to them which works either as a gruesome guttural or a more raucous bark. The songs themselves are like a potpourri of death metal niches from the world over, sometimes shuffling and dark and progressive, others rocking your face off like a jam between Napalm Death and Wolverine Blues. It might not create its own unique Finnish death metal language like Nespithe or North From Here, but there's just so much happening that it builds Vomiturition into its own little corner of the Finnish scene. While not always catchy, it's always busy, and you can't quite tell what will arrive around any of the riff's corners, making for a fun listen in the mid-90s, and thanks to the potent production this one is still entertaining to listen through today.

The cover art is obviously an improvement, and though there are 12 tracks, they keep it manageable at under 40 minutes. A Leftover is an easy recommendation because it sounds so fresh, and manages to pack together those elements of OSDM, grind, groove, and so forth into something that feels wholly coherent to its gloomy confines. But when I say 'gloomy', I don't mean it's necessary dull or dour, there is an inescapable energy to its design which is constantly rowdy and violent yet dark and oblique. This was yet another gem in the crown of that beloved, obsolete Invasion Records imprint, and a band that would have had plenty of potential moving forward, with this many tools in their torture chamber.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

I came across this record a few months ago while going on an Old school death metal binge, and was drawn to it as it was apparently a gem and had the same drummer from Swallow the Sun and Wintersun, so I figured it must have some good rep. And it certainly, certainly does. Chalk full of riffs more akin to the Swede death then what was coming out of their home country, Finland, at the time, it holds a very modest torch towards bands like Dismember, Necrophobic and Unleashed but with a hint of jazziness a le’ Atheist that is perfect for anyone trying to find a great old school death metal or Swede death record.

The guitar work on this is great, as I mentioned being fairly reminiscent to the Swedish style. The riffs have the rusty razor like guitar tone between crushing riffs, and with their own unique melody and sinister lead bits makes the guitar work absolutely addictive. The riffs bounce between catchy and melodic(almost proto-melodic death metal even) and punishing death metal violence, fusing together all the best parts of the early 90s scene. The solo work and lead guitars are great, blowing through whirlwind solos and dual lead bits like they owned them personally. The bass work is sufficient, although not as prominent as it could be; it makes itself known here and there and makes a somewhat noticeable difference to the music. The drumming is great, utilizing all the necessary conventions to get the job done, and also adding a mildly jazzy bit into his performance making everything all that more interesting. The growls are pretty good, being somewhat like Entombed, but also going into extremely deep gutturals that sound like a hippopotamus growl.

Lyrically, the theme Vomitiurition seem to centre around is society, hatred of society and the malignant traits it possess. Some songs subject matter includes taking the viewpoint of the homeless and other social rejects, with some allusions to human extinction and suicide. A lot of hateful, aggressive and chaotic moods are enhanced due to the harsh lyrics and heavy riffs, while also syncing well with the somewhat depressive, hurt and melancholic feelings the more melodic riffs evoke. Together with perfectly mixed sound and levels(the odd symphonic pieces mixing in perfectly) and almost progressive like structuring leaves this record as an engineering masterpiece and doesn’t sound like a bands one off piece, which it unfortunately was.

It always annoys me whenever I find these death metal gems that none of these bands really stick around past their debuts. It’s understandable, people move on, but the fact that all these guys are still decently active within their scenes has me wishing they’d come back together, as this material is good enough to have them on levels such as Dismember and Entombed, and is just as unique. All in all this is a great record for anyone looking for old school death metal, Swedish death metal, early melodic death metal or just a good damn death metal record overall, check this out. I know, it’s hard to spell...

For Fans of: DISMEMBER, NECROPHOBIC, ENTOMBED, ATHEIST, UNLEASHED, AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, EUCHARIST, INTESTINE BAALISM
Best songs: Sacred Tree- Pain, Malleus Maleficarum, Head/Tales, Beast Revived

I can't really remember when I obtained this release or how, but it sure is a moment I will never regret.


Vomiturition is one of the best acts in the history of the genre, and it is such a pity they never reached higher levels of fame. Their music is death metal at it's absolute peak, inching in on flawless. They easily line up with such cult classics as Boltthrower and Dismember. Being a release dated so far back in time (1995) it also adds more points of it's "retro" status and the "trueness" of the music (I know that is a stupid expression, but what the hell, this is "true" death metal all the way!)


Giutars are tuned down pretty low giving the music a bone crushing abysmal feeling; heavy and devestating like Boltthrowers "Mercenary". Riffs are equally heavy and gloomy. Great variety of melodies and riffs throughout the album leaves no room for boring or repetetive "transport routes". Some of the stuff might today sound a bit blatant and "heard before" but that is mainly because of this kind of music being recycled and ripped off throughout the ages. This is a classic piece of metal with all the classic things you look for when you are in the search of that "immortal death metal feel". Thus, it's date of recording adds alot of value.


Tempo is also greatly variated; from slow "doom-like" parts that just makes you feel the shadows of the under world closing in on you, to maniac grinding, sometimes even in the same track! All of this is pasted together with extreme accuracy and without any odd ends. It is all very much "thought through" and precise in it's balance between darkness and hardness. Leaves no death metal head disappointed! The main track "A Leftover" is one of the absolute best tracks with an opening made to break down walls and destroy homes. All the other tracks come in at second place, bordering to shared first.


Vocals are more growl that scream but also with much variety and quality. Lyrics on the other hand is maybe the only thing lacking in this piece of otherwise outstanding work. Some pretty bad choice of words and grammar pop up every now and then, but the themes are classic death metal material; depression, gore, social injustice and such. Giutar and bass works are wonderful and totally without those annoying screaming, string slashing, ear shredding, chaotic solos with no point or meaning. However, most of the credit should go to the drummer Kai Hahto. I have no idea why his name is not more often heard because the work he conducts on this record is easily at the same standards as can be heard on any "Death" or "Morbid Angel" album; fast, exact, refined, inventive and above all thight as a motherfucker! All hail this forgotten mastermind of death metal drumming!

Production over-all and mixing is beautiful; clean yet not crystal clear, adding even more feeling. A nice black curtain lays over the recording giving that old mid 90's death metal sound. Bass register is up high but not so much that it disturbes the other channels. Just fucking awesome!

This CD is most certianly not on the market today but if you see it, and you are into Death Metal, I can without doubt recommend it. Pretty cool picture-disc also. The cover art has nothing to do with the concept of the release (maybe the last track) but it looks really cool.
This is Death Metal, 110% genuine!