Outside of a couple of demo only bands in the new millennium and the ever-revered Gorement, very few death metal bands come from the municipality of Nyköping, Sweden. The latest addition Musmahhu rises from the mind of extremely prolific black metal artist Swartadauþuz who not only functions as sole instrumentalist for scores of projects (Azelisassath, Bekëth Nexëhmü, Demonomantic, Digerdöden, Summum, and several more…) but also releases much of his work and some others through his own Ancient Records/Mysticism Productions imprints. His black metal releases are exclusive and arcane offerings that largely escape my grasp outside of bandcamp releases but generally offer high quality orthodoxy. With this first Musmahhu 7″ EP Swartadauþuz brings ancient death metal’s electricity to his gift for blackened extreme metal.

‘Formulas of Rotten Death’ is not a grotesque affront to the senses but rather a ripping sort of Swedish death metal with a sense of melodic interest not far from the earliest Edge of Sanity, Afflicted and Uncanny releases. Musmahhu builds upon those olden concepts and structures with harried, twisted forms pioneered by At the Gates and made curiously brutal by groups like Intestine Baalism and mystical by Luciferion. Although I think some of Swartadauþuz‘ black/death ideas in Demonomantic were more inventive, this less fractured approach to drumming and ultimate use of atmospherics and lead guitars for melody is undeniably sublime. It isn’t so typically Swedish that it sounds faceless, but it does carry some of that old rotten spirit in the guitar work.

Although this release is only twelve minutes across two songs ‘Formulas of Rotten Death’ is a righteous, blurring listening experience that leaves me just curious enough to want more from this project. Although I think the great gift of Musmahhu is in atmospherics the riffs should be more than enough to hook onto old school death metal listeners and occult atmosphere enthusiasts alike.

Exalted serpent lord. 4.0/5.0

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