With ties to numerous Bay Area bands — partly due to the presence of dueling vocalists Leila Abdul-Rauf of Hammers of Misfortune and Daniel Butler of Acephalix — Vastum carved a jagged path as much through lyrical subject matter as their actual sound: second album Patricidal Lust carries over the presiding obsession with sexual themes forced into a death metal context. What makes them truly special, then, is the depth of the material — lyrics draw more from Georges Bataille’s “erotism” than Chris Barnes’ functionally retarded misogyny. Songs are constructed to draw strength from the source material: male and female vocals trade barbs over thick, pounding riffs, occasionally indulging in the timeless pleasure of a mid-tempo Hellhammer beat, while sporadic leads offer the illusion of release. Vastum walk a fine line between disgust and desire, offering the listener either option, but submerging us in lust, filth, and disease (to paraphrase Midnight) regardless. –Aaron [LISTEN]