Metalcatto
Messticator has a curious name. It reminds me of how you say “chewing” in Spanish, or something fancy in Italian. Anyway, that’s kind of the feeling Total Mastery is aiming to portray—as if we’re getting run through a digestive system and then disposed of without further thought. Hence, you can expect this to be heavy, brutal, and whatever other generic hyperbolic word you think of. Just add it here. Let’s start.
Total Mastery is a punishing album, maybe not in the most dissonant way, but it throws the kitchen sink at you regardless. However, the production and details in the songwriting reveal a band that wants to do more than just smash all the glasses at the pub. It offers moments of real melodic depth. They’re not abundant, but at least for a few seconds, the tracks will shift from an Entombed-style assault to something closer to Intestine Baalism. These brief respites from the brutality suggest a band with broader aspirations than pure, mindless aggression.
Yet, there’s a lot of Swedish Death Metal here, but not in an abused, derivative manner. These guys are using different gear, which is good for us and sad for Boss, but I needed a break from all these bands sounding the same. Messticator is trying less familiar tunes for the style, but don’t panic. It’s still consistent Death Metal that, though sprinkled with old school elements and MeloDeath tendencies, doesn’t really commit to any single subgenre. It keeps an open relationship, hehe.
I wouldn’t claim the album is generic—that’d be harsh even for me—but it does feel conservative in its approach. I would have appreciated the band exploring that melodic sound even further. It almost feels like a missed opportunity. But well, our lives are basically a compilation of mistakes. Nothing new there. Still, Total Mastery is a safe bet for Death Metal lovers who want something familiar yet slightly tweaked.
Another day, another album that wants to pierce our heads with a drill without much ceremony. Total Mastery is a curious record that remains mostly consistent throughout. I would have wanted more weird moments, but what Messticator knows how to do, it does well. Nothing beats blasting this stuff in the morning to wake up for a day of repressed rage. It gets the job done without overstaying its welcome, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need from extreme music—reliable, cathartic violence delivered with just enough personality to keep things interesting.
Label: Testimony Records
Release date: March 13, 2026
Website: https://messticator.bandcamp.com/album/total-mastery
Country: Germany
Score: 3.3/5.0
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