A bold and destructive take on death metal is far from the norm when we go from one band to the next as they continuously create new albums for us to excavate out of the very deepest reaches of the underground, but that commodity doesn’t make it something that can be done by a simple snap of the fingers. As par for the course, there are always a number of bands out there that manage to deliver the goods at virtually every turn without much disappointment to be had should we simply look in the right place. One of currently five bands with the same name, it’s with their latest effort that Poland’s Ulcer shows signs of being the true embodiment of what the very concept of death metal can accomplish.

Looking at this record with a purely surface level observation, there isn’t much to ride home about with this record with the nine tracks that are to be found within “Dead Souls Cathedral” as it really does just seem to be the kind of death metal that feels more run-of-the-mill and not much else, but it’s the very whole of this album that should be considered anything but. True, the foundations of this creation aren’t exactly breaking new ground with their vicious riffage and undeniable power that permeates every moment of its runtime, but it’s with a clear knowledge of their craft and the perseverance to breathe acidic, carnivorous life into their material that Ulcer manages to make a listen that’s all but the definition of compelling. It makes for a wild performance that any fan of death metal should be able to dive right into without a second thought for all that’s provided here having the power, the will, and the capacity for destruction to deliver a well-rounded display of death metal that simply cannot be denied by any and all that lay their eyes upon it. Quickly, it becomes clear that this is a real gem that’s to be uncovered by those who are willing to scour the underground for what quality there is to be had out there in its depths with the resulting excellence of “Dead Souls Cathedral” being just one piece of high-quality magnificence that’s to be had for those who put in the work to find it.

Sometimes you don’t need to attempt to reinvent the genre in order to achieve wild success with your particular craft, and that couldn’t be any further from the truth for what Ulcer has crafted here for their fourth full-length album that should effortlessly be considered as one of their finest yet. “Dead Souls Cathedral” is but a glimpse into the raw power that Ulcer is able to wield with deadly precision along with the vicious intent to match, and I can only bet that they will further sharpen their skills to the point that they become an all but essential name to know when it comes to the Polish underground and all that it can offer.

LISTEN to “Dead Souls Cathedral” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE UIcer on Facebook here.