I've been raised, and will continue to grow, in the lobster-rolling, blueberry-picking, billboard-less Vacationland. The state of Maine is indisputably the greatest of the 50, but there's no heaven without hell: Maine's music scene is devoid of metal. Any given established artist's tour, when concerning New England, somehow instantly loses momentum at Boston, Massachusetts. Similarly, when any band claims to perform in Portland, they're always referencing Oregon. I can't remember the last time a metal concert took place half an hour away from where I live. I grew to face the fact that Maine metalheads suffer greatly from a scarcity of local groups to support. Our bluegrass and folk scenes remain hale, and while we do boast a somewhat stable indie rock industry, metal continuously flies under the Mainer's radar. Mummified is plenty aware of this, and their mission to revitalize brutal death metal in the Pine Tree State will not be hindered by programmed drums nor their age; this is a mission to applaud.
I first learned of Mummified through their bassist, Nolan Buck, at a party. His Meshuggah hoodie provided liftoff for a metal-themed conversation that spanned an unapologetically Maine-y outdoor walk. I scanned his Qobuz collection and discussed djent, brutal death metal, and our respective schools' musical productions. It wasn't until much later that I found Mummified's Instagram account, habitually promising "new material soon." I was quite impressed to see guys my age harness the beast of brutal death metal. Lead guitarist Jake Genest is the face of the band; his own, more popular account is filled with guitar shredding videos and promotions for his neoclassical solo records. Influenced by Tony MacAlpine, Joey Tafolla, and Vinnie Moore, his two albums are boiling over with talent. He, along with Buck and lead singer Nakoa, make up the group. Sadly, they're still on the lookout for a drummer, but this hindrance isn't slowing down their morale or musical output: Their 2026 Demo has recently been released.
The significant question is: "Is it good?" To put it politely, their one-song release is the start of a great group. The track is clearly a demo recording, and some sonically coarse aspects need to be sanded down. The song, three minutes in length, officially begins after forty-six seconds of dreary atmosphere, greatly reducing the song's bulkiness. The drums are blatantly programmed, sounding more like toothpicks on a tin can. But truthfully, other than a lack of professional production and the aforementioned choices, the song is quite alright. The death metal reeks of the 90s, and the band has cited Suffocation and Deeds of Flesh among their idols. It's not ridiculously technical, nor is it ploddingly boring. Buck's bass is pleasant and audible, and Nakoa's adequate gutturals suit the song's mood. Jake, at the last second, crams in a technical guitar solo.
Mummified's demo tape may not be the best brutal death metal you'll hear, but I have no doubt that when the search for the drummer concludes, and the bandmates hone their skills and grow in both life and musical experience, they'll do Maine metal right. For their age, it's great. I urge you to support them on Instagram and take a listen to their song on YouTube.