Metalcatto
Monstrosity is a band that remains criminally underrated in the grand scheme of Death Metal. Not many bands this old can still produce decent work, let alone material that stands alongside its best. The Passage of Existence was nothing short of impressive back in 2018, a genuine comeback that reminded everyone why the band mattered. Since one return isn’t enough, the band has taken almost another decade to release Screams From Beneath the Surface. So the question is: is this going to be Carcass-style aging or Morbid Angel-style aging? The time for fear is now.
Alright, let’s say it plainly. This album starts taking no prisoners. It could easily have one of the most compelling and exciting intros this year, a statement of intent that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Monstrosity still has it. The band can set expectations and make my blood boil like very few Death Metal acts can anymore. There’s technicality, brutality, and groove all balanced with tasteful restraint, showing decades of experience in every transition. I don’t know how these guys do it, but time has been absurdly kind to their work. The aggression feels fresh, not forced.
Sure, you’ll get spectacular guitar work, beautiful bass lines that actually cut through the mix, and crazy blastbeats that punish without becoming monotonous. But it’s the songwriting that shines brightest once again. Everything feels more compressed somehow than before, yet nothing gets lost in this direct, streamlined ride. If there’s one thing Monstrosity has in abundance, it’s riffs. They come in waves, varied and fun, reminding me that you don’t need to play the same riff for five minutes to set up the mediocre—I mean, the atmosphere. These guys understand economy within brutality.
The dude in the middle looks Van Damme
I don’t have too many complaints here. Maybe the middle of the album is less potent than the bookends? Or perhaps the fact that Monstrosity isn’t dramatically changing things up could bother some listeners. Yet the material is so consistently strong that I don’t see either as a huge problem. If you really want to get obnoxious about it, you could argue the mix is rather loud and compressed, but come on. That’s just being obtuse at this point.
Screams From Beneath the Surface shows a band that still knows how to shine, even after a second comeback. I wouldn’t mind getting a Monstrosity album per decade if this is the quality the guys are going to maintain. While most bands from the old Florida scene are more washed up than reality show celebrities desperately clinging to relevance, Monstrosity proves it’s aging like fine wine. Death Metal can be brutal, technical, catchy, and accessible all at once when you’re talking about these veterans. That’s not a compromise—it’s a mastery.
Label: Metal Blade Records
Release date: March 13, 2026
Website: https://www.monstrosity.us
Country: USA
Score: 4.0/5.0
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