Returned to the folds of flesh they’d birthed from nearly three years beyond their initial maturity Boston, Massachusetts-based death metal project GROTESQUERIES reappear graven cheeked, hungered for sanity amidst mass hypnose on this brief but inspired EP release. Themed on the corruption of the masses stoked by terror and social engineering ‘Nightmare Delirium‘ cuts three hammer-smashed originals and one cover in its showcase of their new duo line-up and no-less brutal sound. Expect a continuation of their momentum as a chug heavy ‘new old school’ death metal standout.

Grotesqueries formed back in 2020 by design of drummer/vocalist Yianni Tranxidis (ex-Garroted) as he’d pulled in pulled in folks from his greater sphere on experience and professional realms for an exceptional, groove-driven ‘old school’ inspired death metal sound. The resulting debut EP (‘Haunted Mausoleum‘, 2022) caught my eye and ear pretty quick in review where I’d praised the drumming, arrangements and generally brutal stamp of those three songs. The snapping, clapping and snarling motion of that record translated to a louder, doubly-hard kick of a debut LP (‘Vile Crematory‘, 2023) soon after where the percussive nature of their approach pushed their sound closer to the brutality of circa 1994 post-‘The Bleeding‘ USDM but still bearing some of the punkish progressions and thrashing Master-esque roll of the EP.

Though Grotesqueries‘ recording line-up has drastically changed with Tranxidis now providing vocals and drums while guitarist/bassist Anthony Paulini (Coffin Birth, Gravewraith) fleshes out the rest their core sound is generally unperturbed as it all comes from the same vision and authorship. So, because of this the most shorthand possible way to hype ‘Nightmare Delirium‘ is basically if you’d liked what they’d done on their debut album then these three songs meet that standard exactingly, even coming close to the Magnus Lindberg juiced production values of the band’s first two releases. The moment you hit opener “Terraforming” it should hit that this is the same band deploying the same level of ‘old school’ brutality, especially if you’re revisiting their discography.

“Terraforming” is the big hurrah here, a fitting deal to start the album with and the more complexly whipped of the three originals included. I guess the big surprise up front wasn’t so much the booming sound design here so much as Tranxidis‘ vocals where he’s done a fine job matching the depth and timbre of previous vocalist Mike Buonomo (ex-Matriphagy) to the point that it all hit seamless on the dust up. “The Crown of Spinning Steel” is more of a mosh-ready cut, an even more actively cut riff-after-riff piece which emphasizes ‘Nightmare Delirium’ as more dense in its arrangements, just as meticulous in performance but riddled with quick changes which all lend the EP to the higher standards of the early-to-mid 90’s.

It’d make sense to point out Grotesqueries‘ cover of “Gutted” from Cannibal Corpse‘s second album here as it seems like a serious guidepost for where their heads were at in composing a fresh standard going forward. With that in mind the slimier grooves of “Corporeal Purulence” offer a different dynamic, something closer to ‘Vile‘ if we’re tracing that wavelength, where big honking grooves dominate the landscape and allow for ranting narration at a mid-pace during its most crucial verses. I don’t know if this ~16 minute EP presents wild change or a new gig here so much as riles the senses in anticipation for the inevitable second LP but it did a fine job stoking my mind for what comes next. A moderately high recommendation.

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