Immortalis |Indicium De Mortuis |Hammerheart Records (Reissue)

Release Date: February20^th, 2026

Format: Vinyl/2CD

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Germany

Immortalis emerged from the German underground during the early nineties, a time when the lines between thrash and death metal were still being blurred by pure aggression. They managed to drop one full-length bomb, "Indicium De Mortuis", in 1991 before sinking into the shadows, leaving behind a cult legacy and a hell of a lot of expensive original pressings. Originally handled by Morbid Music and recorded at the legendary Stage One Studio by Andy Classen, this album remains the band's definitive middle finger to the mainstream. This reissue via Hammerheart Records finally brings the madness back to life, including the "Final Death" demo from 1993 for those who need their fix of raw, skeletal history.

If you think you’ve heard everything the nineties had to offer, "Indicium De Mortuis" is here to slap that smirk off your face. This isn't your typical polished garbage; it’s a filthy, cryptic slab of death metal that sounds like it was recorded in a basement filled with Slayer posters and rotting meat. The production is thick and ugly in the best way possible, capturing a vibe similar to those early Dan Swanö projects where the atmosphere is just as heavy as the riffs. It’s got that eccentric German rawness that fans of Pungent Stench or Disharmonic Orchestra crave, mixed with the sheer violence of the Florida scene.

The vocals are a total standout, with a roar that mimics the guttural intensity of Barney Greenway during his peak. Every time a track like "Burning Existence" or "Subordinate Gods" kicks in, the drumming hits like a bombardment of artillery fire. The guitar work is a twisted mix of Possessed-style insanity and mid-paced crushers that lean heavily into the doom-laden side of the genre. It’s heavy as hell, relying on rhythmic destruction to flatten the listener. You can hear the influence of Deicide and Massacre dripping off the strings, but Immortalis keeps things weird and unpredictable.

This reissue is a mandatory pickup for anyone who worships at the altar of the old school. Having the "Final Death" demo included on the second disc is a killer bonus, showing the band’s evolution into an even more stripped-down and vicious entity before they vanished. "Indicium De Mortuis" is a masterclass in how to be malevolent without needing high-tech triggers or over-produced fluff. It’s dark, it’s unrelenting, and it’s a total relic of an era when death metal was actually dangerous. Stop hunting for overpriced originals and just grab this monster.

Score: 8.0

Pre-orders are now available here: https://immortalis.lnk.to/indiciumdemortuis