Pathogen

Originally released in 2010, Miscreants of Bloodlusting Aberrations is the sophomore full-length from Philippine death metallers Pathogen, which has been reissued by Germany's Dunkelheit Produktionen. Although the record is only a few years old, the band's old school sound and extremely raw production give the impression that it's been excavated from decades past. Miscreants of Bloodlusting Aberrations is an attack of crashing drums and fast-paced riffs right from the start of "Atrocity Exhibit," which features a classic Florida death metal vibe. With a slower pace and groovier rhythms, "Heretical Wisdom" and "Leviathan" lean more on the side of Swedish influences, featuring Entombed-esque guitar work. Although Pathogen have exhibited fine songwriting skills and include a well-executed cover of Sacrifice's "Afterlife," the lack of production quality holds Miscreants of Bloodlusting Aberrations back from being exceptional. While a raw, old school sound may have been what they were going for, the muddy, hollow tones feel quite lethargic.