Horrendous and Tomb Mold played the Middle East – 7/6

Two titans of modern death metal swung through Central Square with support from locals Morgued.

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Death metal’s had a big couple of years, relatively, and two contributing entities to its ongoing renaissance go by the names Horrendous and Tomb Mold. Hailing from Philly and Toronto, respectively, both bands put a prog-y, colorful spin on genre traditions and boast a string of acclaimed LPs over the past decade or so. It’s only natural, then, that the two would eventually team up to hit the road together – a union that packed the Middle East Downstairs this past Saturday for a post-4th of July rager.

Of the co-headliners, Horrendous struck first with a flurry of twisty tunes delivered in gleeful fashion. Informed by a throwback heavy metal sensibility, few bands simultaneously shred as hard and have as much fun doing so as these guys. It’d been seven long years since I last caught them and I’d forgotten what an absolute blast they are. The records – including 2023 highlight Ontological Mysterium – are great, but you’re missing the full picture without the live show.

Tomb Mold followed up with a more measured but no less thrilling set. Anchored by singer/drummer Max Klebanoff (an impressive double-duty feat in any genre, but especially this one), the quintet toured last year’s excellent The Enduring Spirit in addition to some older tracks. And as a treat for the local heads, they brought up Justin DeTore (who plays in approximately a million bands, but notably co-leads death-doom project Dream Unending with TM guitarist Derrick Vella) for a guest vocal spot on Planetary Clairvoyance cut “Infinite Resurrection.”

Check out photos from the evening, including a solid opening set from Boston’s own Morgued (great name), below.