LEFT TO DIE – Initium Mortis

RELEASE YEAR: 2026
BAND URL: https://www.relapse.com/pages/left-to-die-initium-mortis

What we have here is akin to a wet dream for any fan of old-school death metal performed by veterans of the genre. As the title of the album, the splendid artwork, and the line-up itself all indicate, this is a homage to the early catalog of the legendary Death and Mantas in that it contains re-worked versions of old demo songs dating from the mid-eighties, which means that we are essentially served pioneering music from the burgeoning era of the genre albeit clothed in garments of 2026, so to speak. One can only imagine how wild these staggering tunes and their ideas sounded forty-something years ago. Left to Die is comprised of Death associates and alumni, namely Terry Butler (Obituary, ex-Death), Rick Rozz (Massacre, ex-Mantas, ex-Death), Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome), and Gus Rios (Gruesome), and that alone lends a certain weight and substance to Initium Mortis, but there is more to it than that, so read on, folks.  

The record appears neither old hat nor irrelevant by any stretch of imagination. How could it be anything but enjoyable? After all, these are timeless songs with a new coat of paint, performed by the most adept and dare I say fitting cast of musicians out there, and not a single riff or part is devoid of memorable qualities and power. The undulating groove and the catchiness of “Zombie,” “Legion of Doom,” “Summoned to Die,” and “Rise of Satan” are not to be underestimated, and their organic prowess and verve are just to die for. The sound, smell, and atmosphere of a bygone era is evoked, but somehow these gentlemen add a refreshing touch to them while simultaneously emphasizing the fact that those early compositions of Death and Mantas exist outside of space and time.

I usually make very bad decisions in life, but this perfectly ugly and crazily entertaining effort might just turn out to be the soundtrack to this scribe’s summer of 2026, and I am one hundred percent confident that it will lift my spirit and serve me well in the next few months. In short, the past has come back to haunt us only that we welcome it with open arms, and this is some killer stuff with a great chemistry between the band members. How much more could one ask for?! Make sure you take a peek at their European tour dates scheduled for August this year, too.