Cadavers embracing new life

From the very first EP in 2021, I knew there was something special about Texas-based, female-fronted brutal death metal wagon Stabbing. In just 11 minutes, Ravenous Psychotic Onslaught was exactly what the title suggested - perfectly sounding, exaggerated, and undeniably heavy. I really enjoyed the band's first full-length album too, Extirpated Mortal Process (2022), which featured a cleaner production, and granted them even more well-rounded appreciation. 

After a line-up change (drummer and bassist) since the follow-up Demo 2023, Stabbing returns with another record of relentless corporeality, showcasing that their now well-received brand is no accident. Eon of Obscenity thrives in its single-minded devotion to impact, seldom offering any kind of relief. The primal appeal to traditional brutal death metal is encapsulated perfectly, yet Stabbing does introduce a bit more modern technocracy, and that makes the album even more enjoyable. Despite the thick production and constant wall of riffing, Eon of Obscenity is recognizable and listenable from start to finish. 

Tracks like "Reborn to Kill Once More", "Symphony of Absurdity" and "Inhuman Torture Chamber" characterize the work, but I also really enjoyed the looser approach in songwriting on the instrumental "Ruminations", and also the the monolithic grooves on "Masticate the Subdued". Album opener "Rotting Eternal" is one of the simpler pieces, yet straight to the point. Despite being shorter in duration, it doesn't change the generally middle-to-fast pace that rolls through the longer pieces on the record. 

One can pick up worn out traces of Devourment in the slam-adjacent moments of the tracks, some good old Cannibal Corpse (e.g. on "Their Melted Faces"), even a bit of Suffocation from the past when the band plays faster (for example, "Sinking Into Catatonic Reality" and "Symphony of Absurdity"). A great feature of Ricky Myers (founding member of Disgorge, currently doing vocals for Suffocation) on "Nauseating Composition" instantly makes it a standout track.

The vocal work of Bridget Lynch is a clear highlight, and it's possible for the listener to discover a few short instances where she deviates from the regular, monstrous growling, e.g. the short high-pitched screams at the end of "Inhuman Torture Chamber" and the few goregrind grunts somewhere on the last track. A timid but interesting part of Eon of Obscenity is also the repetitive ending of short piece "Sonoluminescent Hemoglobinopathy", from the title of which you can learn some science if you want.

You may not realize it immediately, due to its less flashy nature, but we're talking about an extremely tight and well crafted brutal death metal album. Stabbing has, in my opinion, invested more on pacing discipline, and appear more focused on Eon of Obscenity compared to their first album. Each track has a little something for you, rather than the obvious brutality. Cognizant of tension and release, and offering no clear resolution, this uninvited shadow gets more restless when the lights turn off.