Monstrosity have been a death metal institution for over 30 years. They were part of the big Floridian death metal boom of the late 80s/early 90s, but were always overshadowed by the likes of Death, Morbid Angel, Deicide, and Obituary. That said, their 1992 Imperial Doom debut brought the death-thrashing thunder and introduced the world to one George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher. He and his neck left after their second album to join Cannibal Corpse, but Monstrosity soldiered on, releasing a string of good to very good albums, including their most recent, 2018s The Passage of Existence. With 2 original members remaining, the band is now rounded out with a new guitarist and vocalist. Can the infusion of fresh blood keep the Monstrosity carcass moving in the right direction for 7th album, Screams from Beneath the Surface?
For a long-time listener of the band, opener “Banished to the Skies” may cause a jolt. It’s an Amon Amarth-esque melodeath piece with a bit of an epic vibe, which is not the usual Monstrosity modality. It’s a good song with a dark, brooding mood, fluid guitar work, and moments that remind me of vintage Edge of Sanity, but it’s definitely not what I would expect from these Florida men. Things quickly revert to caveman death thrashery on “The Colossal Rage,” and the mission statement is to pummel with lead pipe savagery. New throat Ed Webb (ex-Massacre) is effectively brutal, and the riffs have touches of Cannibal Corpse and old school Deicide. It’s entirely solid, entertaining death metal and sure to get the blood moving. “The Atrophied” is even more frenetic and thrashified, with slower, more epic Viking metal segments that serve as a contrast. The solos are colorful and beautifully melodic, which makes them pop out from the caveman Viking aesthetic.
The band clearly wanted to try several different things here. Their core thrashed-up death metal sound is present, but with overlays of epic melo death and doom that add dimensions to their blue-collar thugery. “Fortunes Engraved in Blood” is an example where the band tries to bring all these elements together. It’s part Floridian death, part macho melodeath, with touches of prog in the guitar work. The fact that it works is a testament to their writing and playing. The remainder of Screams features tracks with the various elements playing a greater or lesser role, and most of them work well enough. “The Thorns” is a darker, doomy piece that feels especially sharp, and “The Dark Aura” treads the same muddy battlefield as Bolt Thrower with slower power chugs and a grinding, inevitable feeling. It’s all well done, competent death metal that tries to push the envelope creatively in small ways, but unfortunately, much of it sits in that “good but not much more” category. A few of the meaner, more violent cuts reach higher since the death-thrash approach is Monstrosity’s best weapon, and why people come to the monster yard in the first place. At just under 44 with no song feeling like filler, Screams is a pretty easy spin with plenty of raw energy. The production is crisp and clean, but wholly lacking the edge and murk I prefer in my death metal.
Ed Webb is a well-traveled, extra-seasoned death vet, and his vocals are a good anchor for what Monstrosity do here. He’s got a classically big, burly death roar and can pull out effective blackened screams when called upon, though he can feel like a standard-issue croaker at times. Guitarist Matt Barnes and new axe Justin Walker show all kinds of talent and skill, forging nasty death riffs, ragged thrash leads, and some highly impressive, nearly neo-classical solo work. Some moments take me back to the glory days of 90s James Murphy, and that’s a great thing. This is a very talented crew, and they have the ambition to go beyond the usual caveman fare, which I respect.
Screams from Beneath the Surface is a solid death metal platter with a few barn burners and some interesting twists and surprises. It likely won’t make many end-of-year lists, but Monstrosity are still alive, capable, and trying new things. Not every death metal act with 30-plus years in the game can claim the same. Worth a listen. Hail, Florida men!
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: monstrosity.us | facebook.com/monstrosityofficial | instagram.com/monstrosityflorida
Releases Worldwide: March 13th, 2026
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