LAY DOWN ROTTEN hail from Germany. They bear no resemblance at all to DESTRUCTION, so look elsewhere for that comparison. This band is all about Melodic Death Metal, having much in common with the early to mid years of ENTOMBED and any KATAKLYSM record you can name. Smashed together at mid velocity, the resulting album thusly called "Gospel Of The Wretched" is catchy and authentic, but if you are not in the right mood or don't care for Melodic Death, will bore you to tears.

It's really difficult to ascribe an accurate representation to what LAY DOWN ROTTEN represent because of their chosen mode of expression. The guitars are a thick wall of distortion and drums exist to stir the pot and keep the brew moving while vocals pepper the proceedings in the usual manner of Melodic Death. The thing is, there is not a lot of room for growth in this subgenre. That is not a bad thing at all, merely a statement as to fact. As a purchaser (hopefully) and a fan of Metal in general, one should accept the parameters of tried-and-true formula sometimes and not sink to complaints about lack of invention on the part of the musicians. LAY DOWN ROTTEN, through the entirety of "Gospel Of The Wretched" play it all by the book and never deviate from the standard path of chug.

As stated, it's really hard to describe this album just because there is nothing about it to stand out, good or bad. In that respect I suppose it is pedestrian and forgettable in a way, but also quite solid and worth owning. Squarely middle of the road. The rating reflects that, depending on personal taste, LAY DOWN ROTTEN might just fix your life.