One of the earliest founders of the “slam” style of death metal, New York’s brutal death metal band Internal Bleeding has been climbing up the ranks to be a monumental institution to extreme music. Since their formation in 1991, this band has went through many lineup changes and always seemed to find ways keeping the sound traditional. Four years later, we have a new album on the horizon with 2018’s Unique Leader Records effort of Corrupting Influence. Prior to 2014’s Imperium, Internal Bleeding pioneered the slam movement, and the best example of that amazingly old school hardcore influenced brutal death metal, chock full of foot stomping, hate-filled breakdowns, can be found in this latest release.
This album is everything fans expected in a Internal Bleeding or early Suffocation albums. From the instruments, complimented vocal deliveries and production aggressive as it ever been before, you’re completely floored with most intense, visceral, and savaged pieces of music the band has done to date. The overall quality and sound mixes is top notch and flawless. Musically, this is New York death metal at finest bringing old school territories of perfected hybrids of Obituary and Suffocation which never seemed to be drowned out by these wonderful and delightfully unpredictable signatures will keep the listener wanting more.
From the destructive tracks such as Final Justice, Focus, and Unreality to the slamming intensities of Compelled To Consume, Corrupting Influence is an enjoyable experience that’ll keep brutal death metal fans intrigued to see where the next step for Internal Bleeding’s career is heading.
Overall Score: 8.0/10
