San Diego’s death metal hardcore infused heavyweights Mongrel are on the attack with their newest EP “Baptized In The Gutter”
Formed in 2022 & with their debut material, “Off the Leash”, took the underground by storm. Mongrel set the new standard of brutality by merging classic death metal style riffs with the groove & mosh parts of 90s hardcore.
“Baptized In The Gutter” sees the band focus even more on their all-out warfare sound & create some of the most punishing music this first half of 2025 has heard.
Opening things up early, “Tightrope Walk” goes for the jugular, with a chaotic chugging but straight-up hooky riffing section. As frontman, Conor Drury’s perfect blend of aggressive but great clarity vocals grabs hold of you. As the track breakdown hits, “No turning this off, Faced with a tightrope walk.” Drury & the band unleash hell. A groovy yet hellish breakdown has you headbanging the second it starts & continuing this bulldozer-like chugging just fits the track perfectly. Hard as fuck.
Feeling like the ugly stepchild of “The Bleeding” era Cannibal Corpse mixed with early 100 Demons, this track has it all. A swell of feedback opens the track before the tornado of circle pit parts starts. Guitarists Tristan Huarte (ex-World Of Pain) & Miguel “Smiggy” Salazar (ex Xibabla) can write complex fast riffs but keep them instantly easy to pick up with the ear & catchy of the bat. This track might only be just over two minutes long, but it has a tone of great riffs & some of the best use of a whammy bar I’ve heard in a long time.
As the two-step chorus section of the track picks up, it lifts the feel to a more bouncy and grooved lace song. As the track closes out, another great solo section that Kerry King would be proud of caps the track off nicely.
Keeping pace, “Wreckage in Our Path” comes ripping right out the gate. Showcasing the tightness of drummer Ryan “Face” Brooks & bassist Andrew Kukta. A thick rhythm section keeps this track feeling focused & driven. As it opens, the feeling of a freight train barely keeping on the tracks is the open way to describe the opening riff before, on a dime, the band switches things up to a great palm muting swagger that is ball-out heavy. Another crazy brief solo whammy chaos appearance before the band takes the track to its climax & builds to its final few hard-hitting moments of mosh supremacy.
Closer “No Flesh, Just Bone” really plays around with tempo & keeps things feeling fresh. These big verse sections with big ring-out chords give the track a great feel before bringing the Deicide meets Morbid Angel riffage back. Having two guitarists allows the band to play with riffs & texture. This track feels thick and powerful. As the band rights the last few bars & Conor Drury unleashes, “You’ve reached the end of the road. Rot away, no flesh, just bone…” All hell is unleashed as the band keeps the best & heaviest breakdown till last. I hope you’ve got health insurance if you’re in the pit for this one.
Mongrel are doing something you may think is simple, but many have attempted to blend death metal & hardcore. Rarely does a band like this hit it out of the park. “Off The Leash” since its release in 2022 has pretty much been a weekly, if not daily, play for me as the band does it so perfectly.
I’m so happy to say the band have no only been able to write tracks to match the power they unleashed on their demo they have been able to write tracks that are not only heavier, faster & more brutal but they have been able to craft some of the catchiest & memorable so far to write my favourite EP of 2025 so far.
Review: Joseph Mitchell
Baptized in the Gutter EP is out February 21st, 2025, on DAZE and HardLore Records.
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