The old school will never truly die, I’m convinced of it. For better or for worse, depending on your viewpoint, that’s a thing that I think many others would agree upon simply due to how strongly the sound is being kept by modern bands that don’t just show love for it but in the perpetuation of the sound itself. It’s a movement that has been going on since the dawn of the digital age and likely before, but there is still a clear echelon at the top of those who manage to rise above and deliver material that is by and large far better than much of what’s released around it. Such releases can come from anywhere in the world from any band at any given time from even the most unlikely of places. With their debut album, Lethal Outcome did not need to prove themselves when just laying the foundation of their sound, but it’s in every way that they make it clear that they’re a name not to be forgotten easily nor taken lightly!

It’s always easy to say that you dabble with the old school as a student of what it has always had to offer and teach for those competent enough to put power and meaning into those lessons, but it’s another thing altogether to really seize the opportunity and make something that can be likened to bands like Bolt Thrower should it be done well. I had no idea what Lethal Outcome would deliver for their debut album, but it was damn near instantly that it was obvious to me that this is a new band on the block whose power is all-engrossing and fabulously captivating! Straightforward death metal but never once lacking in any terms when it comes to personality or magnetism that really keeps the listener gripped from track to track, “Excessive Mortality” sets the record very clear for what Lethal Outcome is capable of with the bar immediately set staggeringly high with this being just the band’s debut effort. And it’s every aspect that comes together to really make the eight tracks of “Excessive Mortality” a sight to behold from its incredible production to captivating energy to the vocalist already having tremendous competency that she should be extremely proud of; it all almost works too well! A true creation of the dense underground that is a real reward for those who discover what the offering has in store, there’s no way to deny the simple truth at play here: Lethal Outcome has delivered grandeur on an immense scale with every piece of it coalescing to become what has to be a must-stop location for death metal fans in 2022.

Debuts like this are what crazes start out as. Everything fell perfectly into place in order for this creation to become as massive and bold as it is in even its smallest moments as Lethal Outcome constantly defies expectations for an overall performance that can’t be seen as anything short of bewildering. “Excessive Mortality” is just the beginning for what this band is able to bring to the table, and I can only hope that it is the first hearty course of many to come.

LISTEN to “Excessive Mortality” on Bandcamp here.

FOLLOW Lethal Outcome on Instagram here.