Golem of Gore - Ultimo Mondo Cane

Angry Metal Guy 50

Metal burnout can be an unfortunate affliction that strikes most metalheads at various stages. The condition works in mysterious ways, and not necessarily in the ways you might expect. For example, my recent rotations have not abandoned metal entirely, but the urges of extremity have been largely repressed, aside from an unhealthy and wonderfully nostalgic Acid Bath binge. What better way to forcefully treat the matter than plunging into the deepest, ugliest depths of the promo sump to retrieve a grimy, rancid underground act set to help pummel me back to my metallic senses. Unheralded Italian act Golem of Gore specialize in rank and indecent goregrind mixed with brutal death mayhem on second full-length, Ultimo Mondo Cane. Taking cues from the likes of early Carcass, Blood Freak, and Regurgitate, Golem of Gore plant their acidic tongues firmly through rotted cheeks. The goresome foursome wield their gnarly, rusted tools of the trade to create some blood and guts spattered shitfun for underground gorehounds to chomp into. Let us see if this form of extreme depravity can remedy the burnout funk.

Firstly, this kind of humorous, over-the-top goregrind needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Incomprehensible gurgling grotesqueries and shattering screams make up portions of the violent vocal onslaught, cutting ugly, puckered paths through blast-heavy percussive assaults, brutal goregrind riffage and punky attitude. Each short, sharp ditty bleeds into another, best absorbed as one wet, sloppy stream of brutality across the album’s fairly meaty 37-minute rundown (at least for their chosen style of carnage). Song titles win points for silly inventiveness, as a sample-laden intro track unsubtly morphs into the no-holds-barred, unforgiving blast of “The Fragrance of Pus-Filled Eyes of the Dead.” The song is an in-your-face blast that largely forgoes hooks for white knuckled extremity. While a suitably crunching beginning, Golem of Gore function most effectively when they mold greasy hooks and d-beaten punky edges to the sewer-dwelling bouts of lowbrow brootality and ludicrous vocal eruptions.

While the songs tend to bleed into one vomitous mass of goregrind mayhem and occasional samples, the wacky ride is littered with some undeniably fun moments. “Withdrawal Crisis – Through the Keyhole of Madness” possesses a mean, nasty grind streak, as glass gargling vox, feral grooves, and frantic riffs rise above the album’s more run-of-the-mill songwriting. Numerous songs revel in their blastastic, relentless brutality and vocal obnoxiousness, unfortunately at the expense of memorable riffs and engaging compositions. When a sick groove, catchy riff, or memorable segment pops up, it reminds the listener of Golem of Gore’s potential as skilled purveyors of utterly nasty goregrind. “Chronic Obstructive Caustic Vomit” leverages its machine gunning blasts and brutal death throes, with vicious hardcore grooves and genuinely catchy riffs. Sadly, the songwriting cannot quite match the ambitions of what feels like a lengthy runtime, which lags on occasion and overstays its welcome.

Imbued with a sloppy, amateurish charm, Ultimo Mondo Cane finds Golem of Gore having an apparent blast with the subgenre’s intentionally grisly, offensive, and over-the-top nature. Ultimo Mondo Cane has an endearingly DIY underground aesthetic in both production and delivery. Sure, the drums sound kind of shitty and distracting, and heavier swarms of noise lack definition, but sonically, the rough around the edges, messy production fits the band’s violent sound well. Overall, there is the makings of a solid album buried under the ooze and occasional more inspired and infectious moments. When they decide to lean into their thrashy impulses and showcase more rhythmic and vocal variation, such as those displayed on “The Slasher in Black Latex – Acrid Aroma in Tenebris,” the formula carries more substance.

Golem of Gore crafted a ludicrously overzealous, manically fun slab of goregrind madness to appease the most dedicated of underground gorehounds. However, for all of its relentlessly filthy caveman brutality, outrageously mucky vox, and fun, boneheaded vibes Golem of Gore fall short in the songwriting department to warrant a hearty recommendation. Mileage will vary for goregrind enthusiasts, however, for all its ugly charms Ultimo Mondo Cane is an occasionally fun but ultimately disposable platter of splatter, albeit one to recalibrate my extreme urges.



Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Everlasting Spew Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 30th, 2025

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