Review EXHUMED “Red Asphalt”

Many people suffer from aerophobia, even though they feel perfectly safe travelling by car. Now, “Red Asphalt” might change that perception. Exhumed‘s eleventh studio album makes it abundantly clear that life on the road can end in disaster just as easily.

After previously guiding listeners through various fields of horror, the splatter kings from San Jose now turn their attention to life – or death – on the road as the lyrical framework of this album. “Red Asphalt” is the exact opposite of a carefree drive into the sunset. The only possible connection is that blinding moment when the sun hits your windscreen, triggering a catastrophic accident – an idea strikingly reflected in the album’s artwork, which captures the aftermath of such a scenario.

Musically, Exhumed remain firmly on their chosen path. The foundation of the four-piece remains brutal death metal fused with grindcore frenzy, and all of this is present on “Red Asphalt” Take the title track as an example. barking vocals and hoarse screams deliver blood-curdling intensity, while meat-cleaver riffs make the song relentlessly savage. However, razor-sharp lead guitars reveal the finesse that the band has injected into this earth-shattering album.

Tracks like “Shock Trauma” incorporate thrash metal influences, showcasing Exhumed’s broader approach to extreme metal. Overall, this is yet another uncompromising statement from a band that refuses to bow to commercial expectations. The Californian quartet consistently pushes the limits of metal – and somehow keeps stretching them further.

“Symphorophilia”, at under two minutes long, is the album’s high-speed blast, followed by “The Fumes”, which describes what happens when toxic fumes seep into a car’s interior – explained, of course, in Exhumed’s characteristically graphic fashion.

“Red Asphalt” is an album without seatbelts or a safety net. These ten songs hit you head-on with the force of a wrecking ball. It feels like racing down the motorway at over 200 km/h. At 36 minutes in length, “Red Asphalt” isn’t an especially long ride, but you experience the lethal power of cars and motorcycles, as well as the road itself and all its grotesque characters flashing a morbid grin. This album dispels the romanticised image of Route 66, dragging you straight onto Highway 666, where mercy is not an option.