Sweden’s Brutal DeathMetal act Degrade release their gore soaked album Lost Torso Found. Featuring 31 minuets of damaging brutality, Degrade show no mercy as they assault your mind and shred your organs. Sing songs of utter depravity, Lost Torso Found is a mass murder‘s wet dream and an ordinary person’s nightmare as Degrade conjure up torture chambers full of slaughter and fright and of the most bestial carnage that lies deep down in the human subconscious. A must have for all maggot eating necromaniacs! Let the brutality commence. Score 80/100

The most remarkable thing about Degrade is that they feature what looks like a couple dwarfs on guitar and drums.  Seriously, when I saw their picture I was really interested in why two of the members looked to be about five feet tall (and another one's not much bigger).  Apparently their short stature makes Degrade ANGRY, which is why they're playing New York-style brutal death metal, despite originating from Sweden.  Really, these guys should be opening for Suffocation any day now.  They probably wouldn't be a very APPROPRIATE opener, but they would probably end up in such a slot anyway. The members of Degrade just looooooove Skinless.  Every track on 'Lost Torso Found' is right in that band's vein of grooving, slightly punky brutal death metal.  There's lots of start-stop chug riffs that break into blasting sections before slipping back into mid-paced groove.  There's no melody; all the riffs are either Suffocation-style convoluted chugging or speedy tremolo riffs with the occasional pinch harmonic for effect.  Vocals are those somewhat silly, frothing growls like you hear in the late Iniquity's compositions, rounded out with, like nearly all modern brutal death metal bands, the occasional pig squeal.  Drums and bass are handled capably, though not particularly uniquely.  Then again, that pretty much exemplifies the album as a whole. As someone who's really been around the block as far as US (and US-style) brutal death metal goes, it's hard to really excite me with relatively straightforward music like this.  I suppose that 'Lost Torso Found' is above average in some ways, as far as having some catchy rhythms (derived from the Skinless mold, of course) and good production.  The songwriting, though?  Nothing special.  I've heard this sort of thing numerous times before, and while it's not bad, it just doesn't really grab me in any significant way.  A bit of bounciness and bassy production really doesn't manage that in such an oversaturated brutal death scene. I guess if you're really obsessed with gathering every NYDM-type CD that has ever been released, you might as well pick this up.  Hell, if you see it and you don't mind getting something that's essentially just more of the same, you're not really going to go wrong.  But in and of itself, you can pass it without feeling any particular remorse.

Est-ce par le truchement d’un sacerdoce charcutier ou par amour de ces merveilles saucisses bio tricotées dans de véritables boyaux encore tièdes mais cela fait maintenant quelques années que les Ritals de Permeated records ont pris le parti de promouvoir la triperie de masse par le biais de leur bucolique label. Un album comme celui des Suédois de DEGRADE, qui ont visiblement oublié leur nationalité lorsqu’ils se sont attelés à la composition de cette galette, incarne parfaitement les vertus méchamment brutales que la maison de disque transalpine cherche à étendre en Europe. Bon d’accord, « Lost Torso Found » est sorti voilà déjà plus d’un an mais il faut croire que Permeated était plutôt satisfait de la facilité avec laquelle DEGRADE avait fait saigner les oreilles fin 2006 puisqu’ils nous ont demandé poliment d’en remettre une couche et moi quand on me dit « s'il vous plaît » j’obtempère (dans les limites de la décence, vous vous en serez douté). C’est à ce moment précis de la chronique que nous allons nous séparer des amateurs de métal suédois, qu’il soit mélodique ou non, car la suite de cet article ne les concerne en rien et risque, au contraire, de leur faire réviser leur vision des joies du death scandinaves. Mais taillons plutôt dans le vif du sujet. Vous l’aurez compris, les membres de DEGRADE n’ont de scandinave que la localisation géographique. Musicalement, leurs inspirations se situeraient plutôt de l’autre côté de l’Atlantique avec une nette fascination pour le brutal death US à tendance gore comme le démontre ce florilège de textes nous vantant les plaisirs insoupçonnés du démembrement (…et les bras, et les bras, et la tête, alouette). Pour le reste, les trente et une minutes de « Lost Torso Found » nous laminent la face dans un death metal qui alterne de véloces blasts néandertaliens et de bons gros mid-tempos groovy à souhait. C’est méchamment calé, les zicos dominent leur sujet dans le pilonnage d’artillerie comme dans les breaks chaloupés et la demi-heure de ce disque s’enfile comme papa dans maman. On ajoute là-dessus, un chanteur aussi guttural qu’un 78 tours de Pavarotti passé en 33 qui exerce son art en ne beuglant exclusivement que les voyelles (paraît que c’est plus pratique pour les rîmes), quelques grouiks de goret et une paire de hurlements (bah oui, paraît que c’est douloureux de se faire démembrer) et on obtient un premier album qui tient solidement la route, un véritable défouloir qui donnerait des envies de retraite prématurée à un tueur en série. Enfin pour bien appuyer le fait qu’ils ne donnent ni dans le Visual Kei, ni dans le métal à côtelettes que Shaka honore à sa manière, DEGRADE s’est offert les services du désormais plus prolifique que talentueux Jon Zig. Alors bien entendu, il n’y a rien de bien neuf dans la recette DEGRADE. On pensera à SKINLESS ou à la sainte trinité batave DISAVOWED, PYAEMIA et SEVERE TORTURE. Mais avouer qu’il y a pire comme comparaisons et qu’on ne va pas se priver de deviser aimablement sur cette rondelle parce qu’elle n’apporte qu’une simple contribution efficace au brutal death. On n’est pas ballot à ce point même si on n’aurait pas craché sur un ch’tit morceau en plus.

How did this band pass Morbid Record by? Degrade does not sound like it, but the band is Swedish. Its sound is all about worshipping Lividity, Skinless and Deranged. It is heavy as all hell and fast as a VD transmission on the lip in downtown Atlanta. The impressive thing about the quintet is the huge sound that just splatters human remains all over. The drum snare’s light sound aside this band sounds like a ton of bricks landing on the missing torso they so like to talk about. The singer howls as if a demon in the wind and the slamming riffs make Internal Bleeding sound like a lame bunch of progsters in comparison. The crushing is even harder and heavier than Dying Fetus. The blast beats are no slouch either. Someone get this CD into the hands of the members of Deep Purple, Saxon, Iron Maiden or something. They need to hear what they have spawned! – Anna Tergel 80/100

Two years ago I received a kick ass package from Permeated records with cd's a two killer shirts. One of the shirt that I'm still wearing is a Degrade shirt and wear it proud, you will read why I do. Degrade is a brutal death band that is based in Sweden and exist for around eight years now, released not much but what they recorded is quite effective deathmetal. I took their "2003 album "Feasting on bloody chunks" and the "Hanged And Disemboweled" that Degrade brought out in 2005 to compare the cd's with each other. Well, I'm done quite fast with it because this new album "Lost Torso Found" is the most heaviest and brutal disk that I have heard from Degrade. As I look back to the year 2006 many death metal bands released some serious and brutal albums but when I heard Degrade I got to mention that this is probable one of the best fucking brutal death releases from that year. Heavy blasting guitar riffs alternated with the slow and unbelievable heavy old school deathmetal a la the "Effigy Of The Forgotten" cd of the famous Suffocation and like the first Pyrexia album "Sermon Of Mockery". Well, which motherfucking brutal deathmetal fan would not like that kind of shit to listen to. Sick and brutal guttural vocals from their front man Manne sounds if that dude is coming directly from hell to fuck up your pathetic family only with his throat. Killer stuff guys!!! I haven't seen these guys playing live but I'm quite sure that the mosh-pit they create looks like a fucking battlefield with all those tight and high quality deathmetal compositions. For the dickheads who doesn't believe what i tell, follow this link: http://www.myspace.com/degradedm and you see what the fuck I'm talking about. If you want to spend some money to buy an excellent deathmetal disk then this is definitely a recommendation. Nope I'm not talking bullshit here at all, you will agree with me when you hear the brutal and massive move of the first track on this disk "Torso Extraction". Nine tracks is what you get then when you get this album "Lost Torso Found" with a superb recording sound. You can not miss this one in your cd collection so what the fuck are you waiting for and grab a copy of this tight brutal deathmetal band Degrade.

Solo un anno dopo il notevole successo riscosso dall'ep 'Hanged And Diseboweled', i Degrade tornano sulla scena con il loro primo e attesissimo full length, intitolato 'Lost Torso Found', targato Permeated Records che ,oltre a essere un'etichetta emergente nell'ambito, è anche italiana! L'album inizia con un breve ma azzeccato intro, tratto se non ricordo male dal film 'Hannibal', per poi toglierci il fiato con un blast beat violentissimo accompagnato da un growl disumano e perverso. La canzone, nel suo incedere si rivela molto ben strutturata e variegata, in quanto dispone di parti sia veloci che pezzi mid-time. La descrizione di questa singola canzone, oserei dire, può essere estesa all'album intero che, nel suo insieme, ribadisce proprio le sopracitate caratteristiche. 'Lost Torso Found' si dimostra più maturo in confronto a 'Hanged And Disemboweled' e ci offre sia riff che strutture ritmiche più complesse ed elaborate. Comunque non si tratta di un album di brutal death tecnico, che sia chiaro, i Degrade ci propongono un brutal death violento e senza alcun tipo di compromesso. Il singer, ovvero Manne, ha fatto parecchi progressi, considerata anche la breve distanza tra le due release. Il suo è un growl estremamente profondo e gutturale, dotato tra l'altro di un pignoise davvero notevole. La produzione è potente e le frequenze basse regnano sovrane. Ci tengo a dire che i Degrade non sono uno dei tanti gruppi "fotocopia" che stanno uscendo negli ultimi tempi, ma bensì una band che è riuscita a creare un proprio stile in un ambiente ormai saturo di gruppi giovani che sembrano nascere come funghi. La copertina è realizzata dal ormai mitico Jon Zig, e ci fa capire al volo con che tipo di gruppo si ha a che fare. Insomma, qui abbiamo di fronte un album carico di pura brutalità, senza fronzoli e consigliabile a tutti coloro che amano il brutal death metal all'americana. VOTO: 80

Szwedzki Degrade zadebiutowal calkiem niezla Epka „Hanged And Disemboweled” (2005), a rok pózniej podtrzymal swoja pozycje na scenie albumem „Lost Torso Found”. Z daleka bije od tego materialu profesjonalizmem – od oprawy graficznej zrobionej przez Joela Sta z Pyaemia, po swietne brzmienie osiagniete w Panic Room Studio oraz dopracowane pod kazdym wzgledem kawalki. W brutalnym death metalu w ich wykonaniu znalazlo sie troche grindowych nalecialosci, glównie za sprawa jednego z wokalistów – prosiak taki hehe. Na „Lost Torso Found” zderzaja sie wplywy Severe Torture, Suffocation, Dying Fetus i Pyaemia. Szwedzi wiedzieli co chca nagrac i wydaje mi sie, ze doskonale im sie to udalo. Na albumie jest 9 rzygów, brutalnych ciosów, a trwa to niewiele ponad pól godziny. Nie za wiele by wybudzic, nie za malo by pozostawic niedosyt. Jak najbardziej polecam, bardzo solidny material. 8+/10

Interesante. Ese es el primer adjetivo con el cual calificaría a esta banda sueca de Brutal Death metal. Tras su magnífico Ep "Hanged And Disemboweled", regresan a la carga con artillería pesada. En este debut (como larga duración) nos presentan 8 balas dirigidas al cráneo y otra más dirigida al hígado, de las que duelen. Y no me refiero a dolor en sentido literal, sino a que hay un tema que especialmente me ha dejado nublado, que no es otro que "Lost Torso Found", por su pesadez, por la oscuridad que emana y por su contundencia a pesar de no ser un tema rápido, sí que ha sabido transmitir brutalidad en estado puro. Y es que a pesar de haber sacado su anterior Ep tan sólo un año antes, estos suecos no han perdido el tiempo y se han puesto las pilas de una forma espectacular. Los temas poseen unas estructuras más variadas, ya que han optado por dar más protagonismo a las buenas ideas que ya poseeía su anterior Ep. En esta ocasión el Brutal Death que practican se ha visto complementado por partes más groovies y slam, sin llegar a abusar de ellas, como ciertas bandas americanas. Además los temas han cogido más vida al incorporar partes más técnicas, nada exagerado como el caso de Disgorge, Psycroptic o Impure (que aquí también tenemos pata negra!), pero lo suficiente como para poder apreciar diferencias sustanciales. Y es que a pesar de seguir un estilo y un sonido bastante parecido, los temas son lo suficientemente variados como para no asemejarse entre sí. A decir verdad, es un trabajo que aconsejaría que los oyentes le dieran varias oportunidades ya que el batiburrillo que nos encontramos nos ofrece como recompensa a cada oida maravillosos detalles, como por ejemplo la excelente labor de Berto a la bateria, que nos ofrece juegos de bateria mucho más elaborados. El doble ataque vocal también se ha diversificado, gorrinillos, guturales, chillidos...diversos estados emocionales, no obstante todos señalan hacia donde se dirige la destrución total!. Otro punto que me ha agradado es su distanciación en su sonido de grupos como Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse (en una onda mucha más agresiva y pesada), Disavowed, etc. A pesar de recrear un Brutal Death al más puro estilo americano, han introducido ciertos aspectos de la escuela europea, lo cual se refleja en los temas de una forma notoria. Así como el sonido del bajo que en este nuevo álbum su sonido no es tan marcado, no obstante su función es más eficiente y eficaz, ya que a pesar poderse percibir de una forma más discreta, las partes groovies y slam son mucho más consistentes e intensas. Realmente han sabido como sacarle más jugo a un excelente bajista y no como los Godless Truth (por cierto y fuera de contexto; para cuando otro "Self Realization" única obra maestra dentro de la discografia de esta banda). En fin, regresando a la realidad, definiría este álbum debut como un muy buen trabajo que particularmente sólo le encuentro una pega. Y es que no llegan a transmitirme la misma agresividad e intensidad que me transmitió su Ep. Y eso que este "Lost Torso Found" sale ganando por todos los puntos. Está mucho más trabajado, es más técnico, más variado, con un sonido más particular...pero me sigue faltando feeling. Aún así no he dudado ni un segundo en pillármelo original! 8/10

Una delle liete notizie del 2006 in campo brutal è stato il ritorno degli svedesi Degrade, band che nel 2005 aveva ben impressionato con un EP di pregevole fattura e che un anno dopo ha saputo confermare quanto fatto di buono in precedenza con il primo platter, “Lost Torso Found”. Il quintetto scandinavo non è di sicuro campione d’originalità, infatti il sound è un compendio degli stilemi classici del brutal più efferato di scuola Disgorge, però la release in questione risulta comunque vincente per merito di partiture sempre malvagie e di atmosfere particolarmente corrosive e soffocanti, che caratterizzano ogni riff. Come avrete capito nei brani dei Degrade non c’è spazio per aperture melodiche, ma l’oltranzismo è all’ordine del giorno, perciò se volete patire le pene dell’inferno allora “Lost Torso Found” è il disco che vi calza a pennello. Oltre a dimostrare di saper conoscere alla perfezione il brutal, i Degrade ci sbattono in faccia anche una buona preparazione tecnica che si palesa con esecuzioni precise ed impeccabili, valorizzando così ancora di più una performance già notevole. “Lost Torso Found” accontenterà di sicuro tutti coloro che amano il brutal più intransigente e terremotante, fatto di patterns di batteria veloci e colmi di cambi di tempo e di riff tecnici ma che a volte si sanno semplificare per fare ancora più male. “Torso Extraction” apre la mattanza con una raffica di palm-muting e di blast-beat terrificanti che vi lasceranno senza parole. Non appena riuscirete a riprendervi gli svedesi vi schiacceranno al suolo con dei rallentamenti monolitici, che vi daranno il definitivo colpo di grazia. Ovviamente non può mancare un growling gutturale all’ennesima potenza, adatto al 100% alla proposta dei cinque brutaller. La fiera dello sbudellamento continua con le seguenti “Prenatal Butchery”, track fatta di repentini cambi di tempo, “B.T.K.”, canzone che vi lascerà per terra agonizzanti per ore, e l’iperviolenta “Degraded Into Worms MK2”, traccia che chiude l’album nel migliore dei modi, ossia con frequenti stop-and-go e con una pioggia di riff veloci e graffianti; insomma un vero e proprio pungo allo stomaco. I Degrade, come ho detto in apertura, non sono di certo il gruppo più fantasioso sulla faccia della terra, ma quando si tratta di pestare i ragazzi se la cavano alla perfezione, riuscendo comunque a proporre un sound sì debitore ai Disgorge ma che per fortuna non plagia e non copia spudoratamente. “Lost Torso Found” è una vera manna per i brutaller più lerci, adoratori di sonorità purulente…quindi che per voi abbia inizio il massacro… Voto : 78/100

Sweden's Degrade play US styled death metal with loads of groove slam parts in the vein of what Dying Fetus and Skinless do, but also European bands like Disavowed and Severe Torture appear to have been an inspiration. The Swedes can't be accused of trying something different, but they are able to create music that is varied enough to be interesting. Degrade tend to focus a lot on the slower and groovier parts, but they don't forget to blast a bit along the way. Overall these different elements make Lost Torso Found an organic and durable effort. It's clear that Degrade is a well oiled unit. The music is tight and brutal. Nothing appears to have been left to circumstances. The thick and meaty production also contributes positively to the overall impression. As I started by pointing out there's absolutely nothing inventive in what Degrade do, but the Swedes pull it off in a convincing manner, so If you're looking for some solid US styled death metal then you can't go wrong with Lost Torso Found. Rating: 7/10

Mit reichlicher Verspätung und somit nicht mehr ganz so taufrisch kam nun endlich das 2006 veröffentlichte Album „Lost torso found“ bei mir an, und ich muss sagen, die Schwedenholzer enttäuschen uns in Sachen „Brutalität“ auch dieses Mal nicht. Allzu viel hat sich eigentlich nicht verändert, oder doch? Degrade klingen spätestens jetzt wie eine 100%ige Amiband. Der Gesang von Manne ist noch mal um einiges gutturaler geworden als auf ihrer Hammerscheibe „Hanged and disemboweled“. Hier werden Slamriffs in Masse ausgeschüttet, und der Sound ist auch dieses Mal verdammt fett und druckvoll, so dass man denken könnte, das Doublebass-Gewitter würde direkt über einem ausbrechen. Leider bleibt die Abwechslung im Gegensatz zum Vorgänger auf der Strecke, da man gerade im Brutalsektor immer aufs Neue versucht, noch extremer zu sein als die Konkurrenz, was leider auf Kosten des Hörers geht und somit an Qualität zu wünschen übrig lässt. Sehr schade eigentlich! Dennoch sind Songs wie „Drastical dismemberment“ und „United in brutality“ einfach tierisch brutal und blasten alles an die Wand, was nur geht. Soweit so gut. Das Schlagzeug holpert zugegebenermaßen ein wenig und kommt teilweise vom Drumstil etwas unangebracht daher, da es sich eher wie ein Drumcomputer anhört. Klingt mir irgendwie viel zu sehr nach alten Suppository, was ich nun mal überhaupt nicht gutheißen kann. Fazit: Alles in allem ein sehr megabrutales Teil im amerikanisch beeinflussten neue Schule Death Grind Bereich, wenn auch mit ein paar Punktabzügen, was das Songschreiben betrifft. Für Fans von Pyaemia, Disavowed und uralten Severe Torture sicherlich empfehlenswert. (6,5 P.) / [rm]

Einen ziemlich intensiven Hassklumpen schmeißen uns die Schweden von DEGRADE mit ihrem Debütalbum "Lost Torso Found" vor die Füße. In der halbstündigen Gewaltorgie dreht sich alles um lupenreinen Brutal Death Metal mit amerikanischer Prägung, und weckt Erinnerungen an Bands wie SEVERE TORTURE, DISAVOWED und SKINLESS, ferner auch SECT OF EXECRATION oder BOUND AND GAGGED. Im Studio haben sich DEGRADE genau den richtigen Sound für diese Musik gebastelt - leicht scheppernde Snare und rumpelnde Bassdrum, dazu die fies sägenden Gitarren. Der Sänger gurgelt, rülpst und kotzt sich von Innereien frei wie es Songs mit Namen wie "Prenatal Butchery" oder "Drastical Dismemberment" gar nicht anders verlangen. Hier geht's um den üblichen blutig-schmierigen Aspekt des Schlachtens und Zerlegens, zu dem das Artwork mit seinen sumpfig-grünen Zombiemotiven den passenden Kontrast bildet. Viel Worte braucht man auch nicht verlieren - wer auf solides und brutales Getrümmer steht, kann sich aufs Fundbüro begeben und Leichenteile sortieren, wer sich allerdings nicht ohne ein Quentchen Innovation wohlfühlt, für den wird "Lost Torso Found" ohne Spannung aus den Boxen dröhnen. Viel Neues hört man hier nämlich nicht, eher das übliche Highspeed-Geballer mit Groove und Growls und austauschbaren Songs. Punkte: 5/10

The Italian label Permeated Records is already releasing their ninth publication with the new Degrade album. The title "Lost Torso Found" is sounding nevertheless very promisingly for a Brutal Death Metal Band, especially because the cover done by Jon Zig is also a feast for the eyes. According to my opinion it's a very coherent motive, which invites for purchase and particularly for paging through. So let's not waste much time before putting this CD into the player so one can get surprised of how the first full length from these 5 guys coming from Sweden will sound like. A short, already nearly mandatory 10 second conversation intro makes the beginning and then things are really moving. After the first seconds it is immediately clear that what Degrade puke out here is leading into the right direction. The first object you notice is the extremely snotty voice of front man Manne, which sounds more like a massacre in the pigsty than any human articulations. Instrumentally the Torso is also a great piece of work; the drum sound doesn't leave a lot to be desired and sounds really wicked. If you consider the guitars only you can find also a very cool production here, but in contrast to the 2005 published MCD “Hanged And Disemboweled”, where I liked the guitar work very much I would wish that there would have been some more transparency here, because the strings become blurred and so most of the songs sound quite equivalent. That is probably the big deficiency that I have to criticize on this album. The disc sounds like one big song over the complete runtime of 31 minutes, because alternation is only tried to be reached through little changes between deep guttural growls and screams or through speed changes between blast and the mid-tempo parts. So here is hardly any place for real highlights. Altogether considered Degrade developed very much; "Hanged And Disemboweled" and also "Lost Torso Found" differ quite strongly from each other and both got their own style. I had to listen to this CD several times, until it was really able to please me. After the first hearing the album was put into the category "ok, but nothing more", but after the second and third time it pleased me meanwhile very well. In my opinion it would be needless to draw comparisons here, as Degrade really have an own sound; however everyone who is into Brutal Death Metal with a heavy sound and a nice mixture between rapid and slower passages as well as an own sound will not do anything wrong here with this CD. Rating: 82 %

?and another extreme squad from PERMEATED Rex. DEGRADE is Swedish, but don?t let it confuse you ? they don?t sound Swedish at all! This music hasn?t got anything in common with typical death metal troops from this country; the production is totally different and if you?re into melodies, ?Lost Torso Found? hasn?t got any at all. DEGRADE takes its influences from US scene and also from some Dutch bands (DISAVOWED), so this stuff really is brutal as fuck. The vocals are again really deep and animal, delivering a headache to my family and neighbours ha, ha. Brutal vomiting isn?t all, also the riffs are really massive, tight and fast as hell, the album is based on fast playing mostly, but there are some crushing riffs of slow paced tempo as well, what delivers a great groove. And if you?re into lyrics about cannibalism read this: ?when you find a rotten torso, lying in a stinking bog, be sure to check out the surroundings and don?t call the cops. Bring it home to your cottage and feast on this delicacy?. Nice, h a? Yeah, it really is cool album, really solid, extreme as hell. Maybe I would like the sound to be bit different, especially guitars, but that don?t change the fact it?s decent death metal feast. (65)