Hailing from Santiago, Chile, Devs Mortvorvm features seasoned members of Blackflow, The Black Harvest, Saturno, and Poema Arcanvs. Their release, ‘The Oldest Crypt’, opens with the unsettling sound of buzzing flies, which is a fitting introduction to the first track, ‘Orgy in the Graveyard’. This serves as a clear hint of what Devs Mortvorvm is all about, as their festering Death/Doom works best when it tunes into the part of the brain that loves those grimy 80s budget zombie flicks. It conjures images of a long-dead corpse dragging its festering husk, missing legs and losing entrails, whilst a victim is gnawed upon in an abandoned mausoleum.
For the most part, the pace is plodding with hypnotic guitar leads, yet the tone is not as downtuned as you might think. There is a great audible bass that adds to the musty atmosphere they weave, and the production remains clear rather than murky. This clarity makes it all the easier to hear the vocalist’s nasty, acid-throated snarls, which carry a touch of reverb. Notably, the lyrics remain fully audible throughout.
Don’t get it twisted: this is still OSDM with heavy leanings towards Doom and a hint of Sludge. The EP consists of three original songs, each lasting around seven minutes, alongside a cover of Goatlords’ ‘Acid Orgy’. This cover sees the pace pick up, showing the band getting into chugs and gallops towards the end of the track, a shift that is most welcome at this stage of the EP. The final track is a live version of ‘Orgy in the Graveyard’ from their very first show.
For fans of cavernous Death/Doom, this is a release that will not disappoint.
