heavy-metal-darkness: Bonginator | Retrodeath

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Bonginator | Retrodeath | Testimony Records

Release date: 24.10.2025

Formats: CD, LP, MC, Digital

Genre: Death Metal/Synthwave Fusion

Country: USA

Bonginator have come a long way since bursting into the underground with their cartoonish violence, weed-soaked lyrics, and intergalactic stoner fantasies. Formed in Massachusetts in 2021 by Erik Thorstenn, the band wasted no time in carving a name for themselves through relentless touring, tongue-in-cheek concepts, and a love for everything loud, gory, and absurd. Their debut EP The 1986 Doink City Massacre put them on the map, while The Intergalactic “Gorebong Of Deathpot” (2023) confirmed they weren’t a flash-in-the-pan gimmick. Now, only two years later, they return with “Retrodeath”, an album that amplifies their bizarre blend of old-school death metal and retro pop culture references.

From the start, “Retrodeath” makes it obvious that Bonginator is no ordinary death metal act. They lace their riffs with thick layers of synthwave atmospheres, the kind you’d expect from an ‘80s horror flick or arcade game soundtrack. Guest appearances by bands like Belushi Speed Ball, Fulci, and even saxophonist Tim Capello (yes, the same one from The Lost Boys) make this album feel like a celebration of absurdity. Songs such as “All Cops Are Biomechs” and “Pizza Time” embody the chaotic humor of Bonginator’s world, while “Intruder Organism” channels cinematic sci-fi horror with heavy riffs that crash straight into digital textures.

The album’s running time, just over 46 minutes, balances traditional brutality with tongue-in-cheek weirdness. Death metal purists might struggle with the constant intrusion of synths, cartoonish samples, and odd humor, yet that is exactly the point of Bonginator’s identity. They thrive on breaking up the blastbeats with sounds of alien invasions, arcade alarms, and exaggerated vocal deliveries. It doesn’t always land with the same punch, but when it works, it creates an unmistakable atmosphere that is hard not to grin at.

“Retrodeath” is not made to be consumed like a standard death metal record. It is more like an audio comic book, a technicolor explosion where chainsaw riffs fight pixelated monsters. Bonginator may not aim for perfection, but they aim for entertainment, and in that department they succeed. This is an album that will divide listeners, but for those who get on board with the madness, it delivers exactly what it promises.

The cover artwork by Dan Goldsworthy ties the package together, presenting Bonginator as more than just a band. They are building their own warped universe of aliens, bongs, and VHS-era aesthetics. “Retrodeath” may not hit every mark, yet it proves that Bonginator is firmly committed to their strange mission of making death metal fun, colorful, and unashamedly weird.

Score: 7.5