(EDITOR’S NOTE — Though formed only 20 months ago, Morgue Terror has already made its mark on Buffalo’s death metal landscape. And if you’ve ever dealt with the band in any capacity, that shouldn’t be a surprise. Thoughtful and strategic in its approach, coupled with a nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic, Morgue Terror conducts its business with a professionalism that younger bands would be wise to emulate. This Friday, Aug. 23, Morgue Terror will be releasing its second EP, ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts.’ (Pre-order HERE). Starting as a duo before evolving into a trio on this record, Morgue Terror has since become a four-piece outfit, having recently added scene veteran Kevin Muck on bass. Please check out our story below on the band’s new EP. Buffalo’s rich legacy of death metal is in good hands with Morgue Terror. — Photo by Jon Lambert of Noise Dosage Media. Album cover art by Andik Godfinger. ALSO, be sure to check out the excellent behind-the-scenes documentary at the bottom of this page by Noise Dosage Media on the making of Morgue Terror’s EP.)
Ruthless, relentless, helpless
Young or old it never mattered
If you’re alive I will make sure you’re dead
A sea of violence is a sea of death
I will make sure this is your last stand
— Neanderthal
(from ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts’)
It takes only a split second for Morgue Terror’s latest EP, ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts,’ to grab you by the jugular. Heavy, aggressive, and relentless, the 18-minute, 5-track release is an absolute punishing death-metal juggernaut that resurrects the days when bands such as Cannibal Corpse and Baphomet put Buffalo prominently on the genre’s map.
Still, it would be a grave mistake to simply consider Morgue Terror as merely just another band on the city’s lengthy death-metal registry.
Yes, the band is old school. But in listening to ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts ’ — the follow-up to the group’s self-titled debut — it doesn’t take long to see Morgue Terror’s own original and distinct touch. Flush with thick grooves and furious chord progressions, perfectly arranged tempo changes, and thunderous yet intricate drumming, ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts’ is uncompromising in its power and velocity, but equally distinguished by its consummate musicianship.
Shortly after founders Dave Jurenovich (guitar) and Steve Lipka (vocalist and original
bassist) released the group’s debut in January, drummer Dustin Klimek joined Morgue Terror, adding a critical new dimension to the band as it returned to Watchmen Studios in Lockport where it worked with engineer Doug White to record ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts.’
“Dustin heard the song ‘Chopped Up Chum’ (from the debut EP) on Instagram after myself and Steve launched the band,” Jurenovich said. “He asked if we needed a drummer and, bam! We wrote ‘Chessmaster’ the first time the three of us got together.”
‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts,’ Jurenovich added, is “organic; heavier than the self-titled release, and relentless. We used no trigger on the drum kit and it isn’t heavily produced. We went old school with production style in honor of our death metal godfathers.”
‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts’ is inspired by the murders committed by serial killers lesser known, perhaps, than the Gacy-Dahmer-Bundy types who normally command the public’s attention. Each song is an exploration of the depravity wrought by these murderers, who went on to unleash torrents of mayhem and fear upon society. Specifically, ‘Chessmaster’ is about Alexander Pichuskin; ‘Bludgeoned And Brutalized’ (Yang Xinhai); ‘Poisonous Prayer’ (Tony Alamo and the Christian Alamo Foundation); ‘Neanderthal’ (Carl Panzram); and ‘Virulent Incision’ (Aileen Wournos.)
Against an onslaught of musical ferocity, Jurenovich's lyrics — delivered potently by Lipka throughout the EP — dig deep into the unsettling madness that engulfed the worlds of these barbaric monsters.
Leaders preach good
Yet live a life of sin and lust
Lies, manipulation, deceit
Leads to abuse and neglect
Showing your followers
You don’t practice what you preach
—Poisonous Prayer (from ‘Violent and Murderous Thoughts’)
Of special note on the new EP is the guest appearance on ‘Neanderthal’ by Chaney Crabb, vocalist of the prominent Nashville-based death metal band, Entheos.
“I have my own music-promo website ‘Technical Music Review,’” Jurenovich said. “I did an interview with her and a write up on their last full-length, ‘Time Will Take Us All.’ I figured I’d continue our professional relationship. I constantly hang out in their Twitch streams and Discord, to boot. It’s been amazing getting to know her and I’m honored to call her a friend. I instantly heard her lows over the ‘Neanderthal’ verse riff. It turned out so well and was a collaboration dream-come-true.”
After recording the new EP, Morgue Terror officially introduced Muck — formerly of Hellcannon — as the band’s new bassist, thus freeing Lipka to focus exclusively on vocals. Now a four-piece, Morgue Terror plans on returning to the studio in October to begin work on its third release.
“It’s awesome to have a veteran of the Buffalo metal scene in the band and he’s even contributed some guitar riffs already,” Jurenovich said of Muck. “We are a band with no egos and Kevin adding guitar riffs doesn’t hurt me at all. If we have material, we share it. He’s the last — and a very important — addition to the well-oiled machine that is Morgue Terror.”
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