Review: Mutagenic Host ‘The Diseased Machine’
I used to salivate at the thought of listening to any new death metal album but as I’ve aged and mellowed somewhat, my taste buds yearn for other things. However, occasionally a band comes along with a bit of a buzz about them that hooks me back in and London’s Mutagenic Host are very much one of those bands.

Whilst clearing away the cobwebs of 2024 and heading into 2025, The Diseased Machine is one of those albums to kick start the new year with as it’s a relentless and merciless assault on your senses. The quintet, along with bands such as Celestial Sanctuary, Slimelord and Coffin Mulch, are at the forefront of a New Wave of British Death Metal, and with their debut album, they are out to impress.
It begins with a space age sequence and distorted voice before you hear a simple bass line from Dan Bulford and then the explosion that is Neurological Necrosis begins to tear at your flesh. It’s not fast or slow, but a bruiser of a track that flows sweetly along and gives you a sample of what’s to follow. Genestealer has a cracking riff to start off with and you’ll feel your body twitching when the solo hits. This is where you can start to hear their merging of genres, with a bit of groove, alongside black metal, hardcore and the iconic ‘90s Florida death metal sound.
The album, as stated on the press release, sees the band ‘dive into a technological apocalypse, examining a world overshadowed by hypocritical, insidious and murderous global powers’ and a spooky start to The Twisted Helix will have you a bit on edge, before they pound right into your chest, with a trademark chugginess that plenty will enjoy. They pick up the pace early and it rips along nicely, but I enjoy the tempo changes from guitarists Jack Thompson and Sami Tuohino as it helps give the song some variation.
like an alien life form being spawned from the darkest depths of hell…
That now familiar guttural roar from vocalist Ash Morre greets you like an old friend as they plough into the excellent Artificial Harvest Of The Obscene and with the band, in their own words, tackling ‘modern-day specters of complacency, apathy, and the looming threat of AI’, it’s a beast of a track, and certainly not for the faint hearted. With a simple drum intro from George Kinsella-Pearn heralding the start of Organometallic Assimilation, they consistently amaze by pushing boundaries further, delivering an audible and impressive groove. I can imagine a very sweaty and chaotic pit for this one when it’s played live.
DIRECTIVE:: [kill_on_sight] is a strange interlude with bombs, explosions and sirens, but a chunky bass riff moves us swiftly into Incomprehensible Methods Of Slaughter which has an old school death metal feel to it, the slow and heavy rumblings are so gratifying to my old ears. It’s complemented by S.W.A.R.M. (Systematic War Against Restless Machines) which resonates with my love for the simplicity of ‘90s death metal, intense solos, killer double bass footwork and riffs galore.
Promethean Dusk has a hardened feel to it, almost like the band are fronting up to the listeners and saying, ‘come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough’. It’s that mix of down tempo and rapid riffs that really appeals to me and the ferocious vocals are doing the composition justice. Rivers Of Grief is the final nail in the coffin. With a softer opening, it bursts into life and feels like an alien life form being spawned from the darkest depths of hell. It’s an instrumental track mainly, showcasing their now familiar sound and wraps up a hugely impressive debut album.
Label: Dry Cough Records | Memento Mori | Gurgling Gore
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams