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French Death Metalers Iron Flesh released a couple of promising EPs in 2017 and 2018 respectively, and their full-length debut sees them keeping their promise of proudly carrying the torch of Swedish Death Metal with a vengeance.

Forged Faith Bleeding is a workout in raw, savage, old-school Death Metal that mercilessly rips faces, slices flesh, and breaks bones like there's no tomorrow. With a sloppy helping of down-tuned guitars, tombstone-heavy riff work, Julien's filthy and demonic vocal grunts, and Gulihem's grinding drum work, Iron Flesh's murder squad makes it very clear that their restless hearts reside in the early '90s, back when the Death Metal underground was a bubbling pit filled to the brim with the ugliest, meanest Metal around. Musically, they drink deeply from the fetid fountain of old greats like Dismember and Cartilage, though there are some exceptions to that. "Harbinger of Desolation," for example, is a surprisingly sorrowful and gloomy track, while "Stench of Morbid Perversion" would fit Autopsy's Mental Funeral album to a doomy, blood-drenched T.

This album is yet another example of the undying persistence of old-school Swedish Death Metal, and fans of the style should give it a listen. It may be yet another one of 10,000 bands doing this kind of thing, but when it's done this well, there isn't much point in reinventing the gore-smeared wheel.