When Matt Harvey (Exhumed) and Gus Rios (ex-Malevolent Creation) joined forces, it wasn't a calculated business move—it was pure, unadulterated fanatical obsession. Gruesome were formed with a single, clear mission: to pay homage to the early era of Florida death metal pioneers Death and the legendary Chuck Schuldiner. However, this is no cheap tribute act or mindless carbon copy. Gruesome take the foundational bedrock of the genre and execute it with such precision, filth, and raw ferocity that it leaves you breathless.
Their debut album, Savage Land (2015), paid direct homage to the groundbreaking Leprosy, while the follow-up Twisted Prayers (2018) seamlessly tapped into the more technical guitar work and progressive structures of the Spiritual Healing era. Raw, punishing drums, trademark barked vocals, iconic tempo shifts, and razor-sharp guitar solos—Gruesome hit the old-school sound with surgical accuracy while pumping it full of devastating live energy. Tracks like "Dimensions of Horror" and "Savage Lands" serve as a brutal reminder of why this genre altered the course of extreme music forever.
For the veterans, it is pure nostalgia delivered at its absolute finest; for the younger generation, a masterclass in death metal history. No fluff, no filler—just authentic, heavy-hitting Florida death metal played with absolute conviction. Get ready for a proper moshpit crush.
