Review: Vastum Give Us what We’ve Been Craving on Inward To Gethsemane

Pre-pandemic, Vastum had the world by storm, beating death metal fans over the head with their specific brand of co-ed, off-kilter death metal that somehow delivers fully on both the experimental and full-throttle counts. Then, the pandemic happened, and in the blink of an eye, four years passed since the latest from Vastum, Orificial Purge.

Now, Vastum are back with a new record, out this Friday via 20 Buck Spin. Inward To Gethsemane in many ways picks up where their last record left off, with it’s layers of filth and horror, psychological weirdness, and unrelenting riffs. But it’s also definitely a step forward in the band’s discography.

The new record makes even more us of ambient, noisy elements to take the record into new, dark directions and plumb the depths. Daniel Butler and Leila Abdul-Rauf keep their joint vocal attacks alive on this album, calling forth the depths of hell.

“Corpus Fractum” is probably the most epic bit of the album, as it surpasses eight minutes and really leans into their new, even more experimental sound. “Stillborn Eternity” is one of my favorites on the record for its heavy, nonstop, almost hypnotic quality paired alongside the rest of the album. “Vomitous” is also a great pick for its classic death metal stylings mixed in with more of the band’s signature weirdness to create what is probably the catchiest song on the record. “In Bed With Death” is a slow build that kicks off the record perfectly, and it’s also just a great name.

Throughout the full album, one thing that really stands out is that Vastum are not a band who put out music lightly, and in addition to logistics and COVID, attention to detail and honing in a specific sound. Like their previous work, every instrument and vocal line feels super intentional, and everything from the lyrics to the titles to the art creates a definite vibe. While the world may be hurdling even further into the world of streaming, I still really appreciate when a record that is cohesive and plays well from front to back, and this is definitely that.

 Inward To Gethsemane was mixed and recorded by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, with artwork once again by the band’s Daniel Butler, photography by Chris Johnston, and layout by Dan Fried.

Vastum’s Inward to Gethsemane is available today wherever you get your music.