Sanguisugabogg - Hideous Aftermath (2025) Hi-Res

Sanguisugabogg have all of the trappings of a death metal band—snarling vocals, impossibly fast drumming, insane riffing and a penchant towards dark subject matter. But what separates them from the pack is their ridiculous sense of black humor. The Ohio band fully embraces their over-the-top nature, whether with hilarious merch, in song titles ("Black Market Vasectomy," "Menstrual Envy") or in their playful (yet wholly brutal) live gigs.

On Repulsive Demise, Sanguisugabogg leans into the gross-out humor to play some of the most ravenous death metal around. Songwriting chops are king and these guys have it in spades. The songs are held together by a series of what the kids today describe as "caveman riffs"—brutal chords meant for playing loud on headphones while you get in your reps or to impel your laying waste to a pack of civilians in the mosh pit. But there's also a groove to the music, some black metal riffing of the atonal and tremolo sort, and lots of double kick drum terror.

Sanguisugabogg channels Deicide, Vader and Anaal Nathrakh on opener "Rotted Entanglement," coming out of the gates like a mechanized tank, flattening obstacles and leaving devastation in their path. "Felony Abuse of Corpse" (told you they were funny) leans into traditional groove-oriented death metal, breaking things up with halftime guitars over pummeling double kicks before sliding into Gorguts or Botch noise-isms. "Erotic Beheading" starts out like a mid-tempo metalcore track before that hideous (and pretty incredible) growling vocal kicks in, leading to a Suffocation-like approach. "Paid in Flesh" jumps right into the steamrolling à la Dying Fetus, with hints of groove beneath the driving insanity.

Repulsive Demise is neither repulsive nor demise for Sanguisugabogg, unless you're the type who can't appreciate some good old fashioned toilet humor or bad '80s horror films. In fact, the new LP does great work at furthering the legacy of these miscreants—that is, for all those heavy music freaks that are in on the joke.