PUNGENT STENCH Ampeauty
Nuclear Blast Records
2004
www.pungentstench.net
1. Lynndie (She-wolf of Abu Ghraib)
2. Invisible Empire
3. The Amp Hymn
4. The Passion Of Lucifer
5. Got Milf?
6. Human Garbage
7. Apotemnophiliac
8. No Guts, No Glory
9. Same Shit- Different Asshole
10. Fear The Grand Inquisitor
Hacksaw murder riffs that thrash vets from the 80s should be jealous of, and breakdown grooves that would have the founding fathers of SABBATH drool with envy, this latest from Austria's PUNGENT STENCH may very well be Nuclear Blast's finest moment in 2004. I'm foaming at the mouth as I type this! Pour a pint, raise the glass and crank it loud!
A cleverly titled cd with artwork to match, Ampeauty picks up where Masters of Moral-Servants of Sin left off and continues the journey into further filth and degradation. The opening track is a strong indication of what the listener is in for during the remainder of their aural adventure. Full of twisting grooves and tempo changes, yet far from technical, PUNGENT STENCH walk that fine line that only a handful are able to find.
The first track, Lynndie (She-Wolf Of Abu Ghraib) starts off with a wicked ENTOMBED sounding riff circa Wolverine Blues, and then goes into a simple blues stomp. Its getting harder to find grooves like this these days. I am instantly sold on this track alone and fortunately for me and the record buying public, the rest of the album is no sleeper, either. This demented trio is full of all sorts of sick, twisted riffage. I just wish I had a lyric sheet instead of a cardboard promo, so I could gain some insight into what Im sure are interesting lyrical matters. Songs with titles like Got Milf?, Same Shit-Different Asshole, and the first track are just begging to be followed on a lyric sheet.
Regardless, other album highlights include The Amp Hymn, which is quite melodic for PUNGENT STENCH, but still pungently brutal. The Passion Of Lucifer, a song I feel is absolute SLAYER worship, and one must not forget the epic 8 minute final number, Fear The Grand Inquistitor. Whether chugging along or thrashing till their necks break, PUNGENT STENCH just flat out fucking rock, theres no beating around the bush.
As always, theres cover art that is sure to keep them from being stocked at Best Buy, so hit up your local mom and pop or just hit the internet. The beauty of Ampeauty (pronounced amp-u-tee, for those who still havent figured it out), is the stench of a really pungent album. Get those old, big ass headphones out of the closet that your big brother or maybe even you yourself had back in the late 80s, and crank this up, its rich.
Rating: 9/10
Papa Josh
