Reevaluating the opportunity of death through searing melodies.

Oakland’s Barbarous storm onto the death metal battlefield with Initium Mors, a debut that doesn’t just nod to the genre’s brutal roots—it charges straight for them. The band fuses old-school savagery with modern precision in eight compact tracks, crafting a record that smashes expectations not through novelty, but through sheer unrelenting force. At just under half an hour, it wastes nothing, stripping death metal down to its most vital elements and pushing them to their limit.

From the onset, “Injection of the Exhumed” announces its presence with cavernous growls and a deluge of machine-gun drums and jagged riffs. The opening minutes establish the Barbarous blueprint: tactical riff changes, breakdowns that gut you and war-ready drum patterns that shift mid-firestorm. It’s death metal reanimated with surgical finesse, proving the band understands brutality and precision.

“By Lead or Steel” rides the momentum with part rampage, part ritual. It harks back to martial old-school fury—think early Malevolent Creation or Bolt Thrower—accentuated by layered vocals and a merciless solo that slices through the mix. The dual vocal assault gives the song a visceral edge, dragging listeners into the chaos with every barked syllable.

On “Tools of the Trade,” Barbarous lets melody creep in without softening the attack. This track underscores the band’s strength: weaving hooks into brutality without compromise. The guitars carve out memorable phrases, but each sharpens rather than dulls the overall assault. It’s a lesson in how death metal can be memorable without being diluted.

The title track, “Initium Mors,” sits at the album’s heart, breathing intently. Its mid-tempo groove builds atmosphere, layering riffs like slabs of granite. Here, Barbarous reveals a knack for pacing—letting darkness breathe between the carnage and creating tension before unleashing another wave of riffs.

Tracks like “The Tomb Spawn” and “Conscious Decomposition” highlight the band’s control over dynamics. The former is driven by sinister tremolo lines that summon imagery of crypts and decay. At the same time, the latter leans into mid-tempo crush, letting every chord reverberate like bones cracking under pressure. Barbarous knows when to accelerate and slow down, giving the listener no room to predict the next strike.

“Anointing the Sick” continues the onslaught with razor-edged riffs and punishing percussion. It’s concise, brutal and devoid of filler—proof that the band understands the art of keeping things lean while still hitting devastatingly hard.

Finally, “Coup de grâce” arrives like a final execution blow. In under three minutes, it distills everything Initium Mors stands for: savage riffing, relentless drumming and no hesitation. It doesn’t fade out or taper down—it slams the door shut, leaving only ringing ears and wreckage.

Production-wise, the album strikes a razor’s balance between raw and refined. There’s enough grit to keep it authentic, but the mix ensures every snare hit and guttural growl lands with clarity. The guitars slice like rusted blades, the bass churns beneath and the vocals remain commanding.

With Initium Mors, death doesn’t feel like the end—it feels like the beginning of something monstrous.