Local Review: Mortus — Father of Flesh

Mortus
Father of Flesh
Rooster Records
Street: 12.13.2025
Mortus = Descendent + Atheist

How about we introduce the family to some lovely local death metal? That’s sure as hell one way to get meemaw and papa moving. Mortus’ relentless fervor swallows its listeners into an abyss of punishing riffs and pummeling beats with their latest EP Father of Flesh. With ties to Angel Slaughter and Sabbatage, this local SLC band disrupts the scene with their pure aggression.

“Fulll Body Piercing” sets the tone and starts us off with Grady Jensen‘s brutal blast beats while Deryck Shuler delicious six stringer intensifies the guttural growls from vocalist, Trevor Goss. The pure aggression and brutal nature of Mortus just makes them that much more distinctive, while setting a new standard for the genre itself. 

Leading us into our next song, “Toyota Racing Division (T.R.D)” is unlike any other, visceral and full of so many technical progressions. Mike Silva and Jaxson Behunin carry their electrifying rhythm into another dimension with wicked force. Mortus masters their instruments and exhibits the versatility of their playing through “Centipedes,” which varies from their other songs due to its more aggressive and heavy sound. What surprised me was the sick electric guitar solo towards the end of the song, topped off with a brutal face-melting ending. 

“Mistreated” is captivating and differs from the rest of this album due to its high string of emotions. From one moment the song is more paced out as the atmosphere carries a grim feeling of darker and more tense themes. A dramatic tempo shift towards the end of the song leads to a technical array of the band’s collaborative blend of  melodic death.

It’s clear our local metal scene is full of talent and the discovery of Mortus makes me hungry for more. Mortus is for those who admire the technique and nuanced notes of the death metal genre. Always support your local music scene and make sure to check them out on Instagram @mortus_band. —Litzi Estrada

Read more music reviews by Litzi Estrada:
Local Review: Hibernaut / Face Pulp — Split with Face Pulp
Local Review: Warm Veins — Warm Veins

Enjoy discovering new local music on a daily? Consider donating!