Review: Goetia ‘Mortuary Cult’
Death metal is my genre of choice of late, with Chuck Schuldiner’s Death being the main band in my playlist, but also included is Six Feet Under, Glorious Depravity, the new Left To Die single, and the upcoming Inscribed album. However, I have recently added Goetia, a band that is churning out speed-filled riffs with vocals that are slightly reminiscent of Jeff Walker of Carcass.
Forged in the fall of 2022 by bassist/vocalist Matt Scott, guitarist Demir Soyer, and drummer Nadia Tydings-Lynch, and is influenced by the likes of Morbid Angel, Terrorizer, and Kreator. Mortuary Cult features ten tracks inspired by experiences in an old cemetery in the Washington, DC suburbs. The album is a perfect example of fast-paced death metal with blazing guitar solos and pummeling blast beats.
The best part of this release is the aggression that permeates each track. Goetia is adept at channeling that aggression into the kind of death metal that will snap the necks of headbangers across the globe; I know that my neck is pretty sore after repeated listens – haha.
That being said, it’s the vocals that come across with the most venomous intent. Scott‘s vocal attack has the sound of Satan’s most evil and sadistic demon possessing him as he growls out the words to these brutal tracks, creating a sound that I am absolutely here for. Let’s jump in and talk about a few of these killer tunes.
After a brief intro called At Eternity’s Gate, they go all in with their brand of death metal devastation on Lanterns Of The Dead. Don’t let the intro piece lull you into a false sense of security, because this is an absolutely pulverizing song. This is made even more so by the moments where things feel like they’re slowing down, only to then be bludgeoned with sheer force once again. Plus, the lead guitar is crazy good, a trend which repeats with each new track.
a perfect example of fast-paced death metal with blazing guitar solos and pummeling blast beats…
The title track, Mortuary Cult, is another fantastic display of power. My ear detected an influence from grindcore, which they twist and grind up for their death metal stew. This is one of the most ferocious offerings of the ten that make up the album and is the second-best song on it.
Up next is Corpse Candle, which is one of my favorites due to the intro. Wailing feedback is followed by a killer bass lick, highlighting the immense tone that Scott uses. The guitars enter with the same riff but embellished with trills and heavy distortion, and it fills up the space left behind by the bass. I think this is also the most reminiscent of Carcass or Kreator, thrashy death metal being the end result.
Tortures In Time kicks off with a riff that is pure thrash in my opinion, incorporating a heavy Slayer vibe that the drums only add more presence to. The verses use a variation of that riff, and behind it, the drums become a metal fan’s wet dream. Honestly, the bulk of this one is old school thrash, but there are sections that are decidedly within the death metal realm. All of that makes this my pick for the record’s best song, while other standouts include Eternal Samhain and Posthumous Execution.
Overall, this is an extremely solid release from these DC based death-heads. I strongly recommend that everyone who loves this genre check this band out. Mortuary Cult was released on June 12th, 2026 via Carbonized Records, so get out there and support this excellent troupe of musicians!
Label: Carbonized Records
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Tom Hanno
