Band:	Dying Fetus
Album:	Make Them Beg For Death
Style:	Brutal death metal, Technical death metal
Release date:	September 2023

01. Enlighten Through Agony
02. Compulsion For Cruelty
03. Feast Of Ashes
04. Throw Them In The Van
05. Unbridled Fury
06. When The Trend Ends
07. Undulating Carnage
08. Raised In Victory / Razed In Defeat
09. Hero's Grave
10. Subterfuge

Die, die, my darling.

Marching to the beat of their own drum (they must march very fast), Dying Fetus have long established themselves both sonically and as one of the premier names in the field of extreme music while walking a fine line between technicality, brutality and grindcore...ality. Make Them Beg For Death may be another offering of the same, but it feels fresh and unique in its own way, keeping the run of strong releases by the band going for yet another album.

Never ones to pigeonhole themselves, Dying Fetus shift through various sounds and sonic gears throughout the album, with tracks like "Compulsion For Cruelty" showing how the band can change tack mid-song — and not merely by just increasing or decreasing the tempo. "Feast Of Ashes" sees drummer Williams bring his love of D-beat to the fore with a track that leans into their grindcore beginnings. It is these subtle (well, as subtle as the sonic equivalent of a brick through a window is, anyway) differences that gives Make Them Beg For Death its sense of variety and vibrancy.

Six years after their last album, Dying Fetus have not rested on their laurels and have instead been putting the miles on the clock in the interim (well, that and the whole pandemic thing). The band remain a tight unit that are in total sync with each other. Something that is somewhat overlooked is the fact that Dying Fetus are a power trio, able to make more noise than many of their contemporaries who have more members do. Only on "Unbridled Fury" do you ever get a hint that the sound isn't as filled in as it could be, owing to the lack of an additional guitar. Still, when you have the bass styling of Beasley in the fold, it feels as if the band have an extra downtuned guitar in the mix (see "When The Trend Ends").

Gallagher once again cements his spot as the first among equals, with powerful and technical performances on the guitar and on the microphone. Balancing both responsibilities on a track like "Enlighten Through Agony" is something that few could do convincingly, but Gallagher seems to do so with a sense of ease and an aura of stoic intent.

While fans of the band will certainly find plenty of new and enjoyable elements to sink their teeth into, I can anticipate that casual fans (or those who listen to the band as they found themselves becoming a meme) may not find there to be a significant difference with Make Them Beg For Death to give it its own identity. While this is a reflection of the band's firm conviction in keeping with their roots, it will mean that those of you not already familiar with the band's discography will find the album feel too similar, or that the charm wears off after the initial adrenaline rush.

Dying Fetus remain a consistent force in death metal, with Make Them Beg For Death only bolstering their case as one of the best bands bursting eardrums and breaking necks out there today. A recommended sonic bludgeoning.