It is winter in Finland but Revulsion is not hibernating – the self-titled full-length debut is a heavy metal bulldozer bearing down on your brain.

In 2010 Revulsion released a demo then an EP the year after that. Ten long years have passed while fans waited to see if there would be more music. The new album answers that question with a full-throated howl. The music is rooted in death metal with deep veins of doom running throughout, and the integrated elements are a propitious combination. The band is Aleksi Huhta (vocals), Jari Toppinen (guitar), Jarkko Viitasalo (guitar), Tuomas Alatalo (bass), and Atte Karppinen (drums).

The music begins in chaos – just a pummeling of noise you have to sort through. After a few seconds of that attack, the riffs emerge and the vocals become words in “Last Echoes Of Life.” The death metal hybrid continues to morph on “Pyre” which also bears a heavy riff and adds complex combinations in the rhythm and percussion. “Walls” is next, showing off a fat bass line, and then “Mustaa Hiiltä” lifts the lid on the cave of doom with oppressively threatening leaden tones.

There are eleven songs on the album and you can feel groove characteristics nudge you around as the undeniable momentum of the powerful musical energy is a constant exhilarating rush. The bass is more prominent here as a distinct being than in a lot of similar music, and that adds immeasurably to the unique voice of the band. The back half of the record has short blasts like “Wastelands” and “Pawns,” and it also showcases the longest track and closer, “Viimeinen Rituaali” – the final ritual, indeed, and a doom-laden volcano of roaring heavy metal. I am already jotting this one down on the best of list for the year. Killer. Highly recommended.

Revulsion is out now and, coincidentally, it is Bandcamp Friday today so if you buy Revulsion products at Bandcamp, the usual selling fee to the band is waived. The elegant varieties of Transcending Obscurity physical releases are the envy of the world, and the Revulsion album is no exception. Check out all the possibilities at the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://revulsiondeath.bandcamp.com/

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RevulsionFin/

Transcending Obscurity Records, https://tometal.com/