This is the debut album from French one-man blackened death metal band Devolution.
Brought to us by a member of Antropofago, (and also ex-Sunnudagr), Consumer offers up 42 minutes of scathing aggression.
Combining the brutality of classic death metal with the emotive colour of melodic black metal, this is an album for people that like their music harsh, yet textured.
Upon first listen, the quality of the composition and delivery is notable, and the music provides a lot of instant gratification. The songs are well-written and have many hooks and noticeable features that grab the listener’s attention quite swiftly. With some striking riffs, piercing melodies, and a strong bass presence, Consumer makes its mark quickly and effectively.
Upon repeated spins, this impression of experiencing a quality product is reinforced, and the music’s melodic and emotive aspects become increasingly apparent. The dark atmospherics, blackened melodic streaks, and dynamic shifts in emotional intensity are performed and arranged at an advanced level, making for an album of surprising depth, longevity, and replayability for a debut release.
As for the vocals, these are mostly variants of pitch black growls and screams, spat out with daemonic fervour. The singer’s voice puts me in mind of a hybrid of the vocalists of Deicide and Behemoth.
I like an album that can bludgeon with blunt force and decapitate with sharp lethality, but I equally like an album that has an emotive heart and good song structures. Consumer is an album that covers all of the above with professional ease. The artist behind Devolution has impressed with this album.
This one’s a keeper indeed. Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 