Metalcatto
When I got the promo for Castrator’s Coronation of the Grotesque, my eyes rolled back so hard that, for a moment, I could see my brain (this makes no anatomical sense, just saying). This was because, with a name so edgy and typical for Brutal Death Metal, there couldn’t possibly be anything original here, right? But I was wrong. This is an all-female band that is basically giving the male demographic a taste of their own medicine. Let’s face it—so much Death Metal is about doing horrible things to women. We needed something else! And I’m all for making the world a fairer place, so let’s go!
Coronation of the Grotesque is exactly that—a pinnacle of violence and disgust. Yes, you’d imagine this album playing in the background while someone gets a prostatectomy without anaesthesia. Fun stuff! It’s brief, direct, and leaves little room for fancy interpretations. Castrator is like Crypta but on all sorts of bath salts. It shows no mercy for anyone’s genitalia. Oh well—the album also takes good swings at organized religion, so maybe the pagan readers can get into it too. I’m all for spitting in the face of the powerful, so this works for me.
There are several elements to point out here, but probably what I enjoyed the most about Coronation of the Grotesque was its production. It’s just perfect for this kind of unapologetic battery. You can feel that distortion making your guts bounce around while still sounding clean enough to learn by ear—if you could play it at all. Also, the vocals are an interesting mix of demon-from-the-abyss and furious banshee. Vocal variety is rare in Brutal Death Metal, and I must acknowledge it when it happens.
Now, Castrator is playing a known game here. The band is really good at what it does, but it’s not exactly revolutionary. You’ve been here before—maybe not from this perspective—but still. I guess it’s a good balance between the old ways and fresher themes. As in, enough change to stay interesting, but not so much that people freak out. A more nitpicky point: “Metal Command” feels rather out of place as a track to close such a bloodbath. Yet, it’s not terrible to have some room to breathe in this machinery of torture.
Anyway, Castrator kept me safe and, at the same time, surprised me. The concept behind Coronation of the Grotesque is interesting—it’s deconstructing one of the most hostile Metal subgenres, and given how numb Brutal Death can become, I’d say this was more than needed to bring some novelty to a punishing niche that’s gatekept harder than an academic conference. So hold on to your crotches, because this is going to be a merciless journey!
Label: Dark Descent Records
Release date: 16 August, 2025
Website: https://castrator.bandcamp.com/music
Country: Mexico, Norway, Sweden & USA
Score: Smashed gonads! Or 3.5/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 