Molder – Catastrophic Reconfiguration

It’s wild to see the how the bands who made up the OSDM boom of the late ’10s have since gone onto break into the world of mainstream rock/metal. I can rant about how some of these bands are more deserving than others, but that would be counterproductive. The point is, the vast majority of these acts can now be found scattered amidst Danny Wimmer Presents lineups, which speaks volumes for a company who was exclusively booking Five Finger Death Punch and the ilk not too long ago. Death metal is becoming big business, baby, but don’t mistake Molder for some overnight hardcore kids turned DM bandwagoners. These freaks were peddling filthy demos while you were still in your Code Orange phase!

Tongue in cheek remarks aside, Molder’s ascent to pure death metal domination can be correlated to the ascent of this here little webzine that good. Thrown eschew by the plague of 2020, yours truly was on hand to review their debut album, Vanished Cadavers, which was quickly followed by a group interview: One that was the beginning of a long journey for this now semi-seasoned interviewer. Come 2022, the band was ready to tear up the country with their anything but a sophomore slump, Engrossed in Decay. Now, Molder goes for a hat track of deadly proportions with Catastrophic Reconfiguration.

Don’t let the title fool you: This is not the band’s foray into headier, mature territory, even despite the technical inclinations of drummer Kyle Pooley and guitarist Carlos Santini (I know a Rush fan when I see one!). No, if there’s anything that separates Catastrophic Reconfiguration from past releases, it’s a greater cohesion between the band as a unit. This, as well as a clear, yet pummeling, production, make Catastrophic stand out amidst a crowded playing field of murderous metallic prodigies. Couple these aspects with Molder’s now signature brand of death thrashin’ insanity, and you’ve got yet another monster of an album on your hands (and ears, for that matter).

From the opening title track onwards, Molder get straight down to business, bludgeoning us with gory riffs, rancid d-beats, and irresistible soloing. Groove-centric cuts like “Pulped”, “Corpse Copulation”, and the cleverly titled “Nothing Left to Ooze” showcase the band at their most locked in, particularly the rumbling basslines of Dom Vaia. As hard as these Neanderthalic knuckle-draggers go, I find myself returning to the unhinged frenzy of ripping death-thrashers like “Rapidly Exsanguinated” and my choice cut, “Brain Boil”, showcasing maniacal mastermind Aaren Pantke at his most crazed. There’s also “Masked in Mold”, its first half owing a debt of gratitude to Autopsy’s Mental Funeral. Speaking of homages, am I the only one who heard Death’s “Pull the Plug” on “Bursted Innards”? Bueller? Frye?

No matter how you slice it, amongst a sea of bands lazily regurgitating every last trick in the late ’80s/early ’90s death metal playbook, Molder are keeping it fresh, or at least as fresh as a band this repulsive can. This is no lazy exercise in apery or sLaMs. No, this is a collection of truly harsh death metal songs: Riffs, hooks, grooves, and all. I look forward to spinning it to the point that my very bodily chemistry is catastrophically reconfigured, kind of like Demi Moore in the cinematic achievement of the year, The Substance…OK boys, maybe don’t rough me up THAT bad.

8 out of 10

Label: Prosthetic Records

Genre: Death Metal

For fans of: Autopsy, Obituary, Death