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Cryptopsy – The Tome of Suffering – Tome I (Review)

Cryptopsy are a Death Metal band from Canada and this is their latest EP.

The Death Metal veterans return with 17 minutes of brutality, and ohh what brutality it is!

Cryptopsy’s impressively nuanced take on Brutal/Technical Death Metal has inspired legions of copycats and imitators, but there’s nothing like returning to the source to find that they still have what it takes to blow most of their now-peers out of the water.

Their Death Metal blueprint may have helped to lay the foundation for Modern Death Metal, so it’s no surprise to hear elements of this and even a splash of Deathcore on occasion, all liberally sprinkled throughout the hostile chaos.

These songs have a sparkling, deviant energy to them. Whether it be powerful blasting or choppy, grooving riff-monstering, (it’s a thing…), the band devastate with ease.

The sound is crisp, nasty and clear. I’ve always loved how Cryptopsy have used the bass in their songs and on this EP it makes its presence felt in no uncertain terms.

Their singer has an incredibly impressive voice. Their original singer had some pretty massive boots to fill, and their current vocalist is definitely heir to this particular throne. His voice is a raw, guttural, shrieking, screaming, growling delight. Much variety and range, much aggression and burning venom, much greatness.

This EP is an essential listen as far as I’m concerned.

Arkaik – Lucid Dawn (Review)

Arkaik are a Technical Death Metal band from the US. This is their fourth album.

Now this is the stuff. Technical Death Metal that’s complex and forceful yet still manages to retain a sense of song and purpose. Class.

Arkaik merge insane brutality and technicality with a Modern Death Metal sensibility that allows them to reap the benefits of both styles. The combination of complexity and catchiness makes for songs that have both immediate appeal and longevity; the perfect combination in my book.

The vocalist doesn’t drop the ball either. In the face of such impressive musical extremity his deathgrowls are perfectly judged. They are consistent and of the type you would expect for a band like this, but with an emotive and deeply satisfying quality to them that only the best Death Metal vocalists attain.

The songs are wrapped in a production that plays to all of their strengths; balanced and clear, yet without becoming overly sterile. Arkaik sound vibrant and alive, surrounded by serrated riffs, technical workouts, energetic songs and passionate performances.

The potential housed on an album like this is huge. Where else can you find Technical Death Metal that’s accessible, (relatively speaking), interesting, catchy and powerfully wrought? Not many places, that’s for sure.

Top quality stuff.

Crusher/Mercyless – Blast from the Past – Split (Review)

This is a split between two French Death Metal bands, Crusher and Mercyless.

Both veterans of the French scene, Crusher open up proceedings with four songs, 14 minutes of high-energy Death Metal.

The songs are unashamedly Old-School, with a suitable sound to go along with it. Simple and effective, the riffs and drums pound out unfashionable rhythms while the singer shouts himself hoarse.

Featuring Death Metal that’s concerned with basic structuring and covering the needs of the song first and foremost, it seems that the split is appropriately titled as this really is like stepping back in time about 20 years. This is, of course, not a criticism.

These songs are all about the riffs, and some of the band’s grooves are almost Hardcore in nature, recalling Old-School German band Ryker’s in some respects.

It’s hard not to like music this atavistic and Crusher’s songs are both enjoyable and pleasing.

The second half of the split is Mercyless; another four songs, (one of them a live track), 16 minutes of solid Death Metal carnage.

Mercyless’ music also has an Old-School slant, but this is mixed in with more of the timeless Traditional Death Metal style.

These songs are more layered than Crusher’s stripped back approach. Faster and fuller than their fellow countrymen, Mercyless also have an air of the occult about them that seeps into parts of the songs like a malignant evil.

Mercyless have a collection of stonking riffs here, although they’re more wrapped up in mood than Crusher. There’s also lots of solos, which I heartily approve of.

It’s really interesting comparing these two bands, as both are very strong on their own merits and share similarities despite their differences. Which I prefer depends on my mood. Crusher’s 90s simplistic riff-heavy approach is catchy, energetic and nostalgic, whereas Mercyless have a more well-rounded and holistic approach that I prefer at other times.

Ultimately though, this is confident music played by people who know what they’re doing and how to do it well; this is a quality release from two very good Death Metal bands, and I urge you to check it out.

Inexorable – Sea of Dead Consciousness (Review)

This is the latest EP from German Death Metallers Inexorable.

For Death Metal that’s dark, obscure and worrying, look no further. Operating in the netherworld of the deep Death Metal underground, Inexorable are like a gathering storm, ready to rage and destroy in dense, murky fits of violence.

Their last EP Morte Sola was a disconcerting journey into the abyss, and this is much the same only further down into the maelstrom. I described them on that release as Mayhem gone Death Metal, and I’d stick to that on Sea of Dead Consciousness.

Vocally the singer doesn’t really do a very good job of convincing us he’s human and I see no real reason not to believe he’s actually some daemonic entity. I’m pretty sure that every time I play this EP a rift to Hell gets slightly wider somewhere, but that’s the price we pay for good music, eh?

The EP offers us three originals and three covers. Of the covers, we get Mayhem, (fitting), Immolation and Mysticum. The original Inexorable tracks are terrifying and disturbing, and the cover versions are stamped with the crippling malevolence of Inexorable’s dark vision. It may not sound it, but that’s a compliment and all three are reimagined in grimmest glory.

So have they progressed from Morte Sola? Yes. Speaking plainly, Sea of Dead Consciousness is the superior release. The songs are more fully-realised and confidently performed. They were good before, but here they’re even better.

When they eventually release their first full-length album you can be sure I’ll be queuing up to get at it. After all, that rift to Hell isn’t going to open itself is it?

Never to Arise – Gore Whores on the Killing Floor (Review)

This is the second album from US Death Metallers Never to Arise.

Never to Arise play Death Metal that combines elements of Technical and Melodic Death Metal, producing an album that never strays too far in either direction.

The main focus is on utter brutality and evil, although this doesn’t mean blast beats all of the time; there are plenty of decent riffs and leads/solos included to satiate fans of Death Metal songs, and enough hooks and spikes to keep the blood flowing nicely.

This is a strange release in some ways, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. I suspect it has something to do with a combination of the vocals and guitars. Both sound a little off-kilter; a lot of the riffs are subtly atypical and the grunting vocals may be standard in many ways, but these too have an unusual edge to them, like they’re being filtered through something…something slightly out-of-sync with reality as we know it.

Now, whether or not any of this is a bad or a good thing will be down to the individual listener. In my case, it’s mostly a good thing as it marks Never to Arise as different from the Death Metal pack. Add to this songs that are actually pretty well-written and you have 41 minutes of enjoyable barbarity.

Classic Death Metal with a strange, unnatural sheen? Born from the underworld just for your ears? Very nice. Maybe Never to Arise’s band name will be proven false after all.

Livid – Sint (Review)

Livid are a Doom Metal band from the US. This is their début release.

Featuring two tracks and a running time of 23 minutes, this is a murky, dirty introduction to a new band that shows a lot of promise for the future.

Monk-like clean vocals, huge, Sludge-drenched riffs, warm, earthy drums and a nasty, filthy bass sound mean that Livid easily have what it takes to make a mark.

The music is divided into two parts. On the first, we’re introduced to Livid’s hypnotic, trance-like qualities that they inject into their music, borne out of the repetitive dirge of the low and lazy riffing style and wandering drums.

The vocals sail above the other instruments, a sharp contrast to the rough, Sludgy music. It’s almost as if they’re completely separate from it; untouched by the filth, decay and disease of the underworld. They’re clean in every sense of the word, like angels flying above daemonic undercurrents. It’s a beguiling juxtaposition that shouldn’t work, but it really, really does, adding to the hypnotic nature of the tracks.

As the music crawls to a close after 14 minutes, it’s time to hand things over to the second part. How does this differ from the first? Well, at just under 9 minutes it’s a bit shorter, but it also differs slightly in pace and mood, as this track is more mid-paced and lively, although this is all relative, of course, as it’s still Doom Metal.

The vocals are similar in style to the first track, albeit not quite as detached and separate. They do their job amiably, however, and the song as a whole still retains a hypnotic groove.

Livid have created something quite enjoyable here. Give them a listen.

Vehemence – Forward Without Motion (Review)

Vehemence are a Death Metal band from the US. This is their fourth album.

This is the first release after their wonderfully classic third album Helping the World to See, released a mere 11 years earlier. I always loved that one, so now that this new release has reared its head, I’m a happy bunny.

Vehemence play interesting and inventive Death Metal that has a firm melodic slant and good songwriting. If you’re a fan of this kind of Death Metal then Vehemence are one of the best; they manage to play the Melodic style while still keeping the main emphasis on Death Metal.

Sharp, concise growls are the vocal delivery of choice, and it’s nice to hear the singer’s clipped tones back in rotation once more. As always, the growls are complemented with screams and other forms of aural assault, providing a wide range of vocals to match the variety of the music.

And what music it is! Vehemence are all about the songs, with the musicianship set at a very high level. These tracks are, on average, even longer than the ones on their previous release and it’s clear that the band haven’t been lacking in ideas or creativity over the last decade or so. This is an album with a lot to say, and I’m quite happy to listen.

Lethal speed and sharp, serrated melodies fly out all over the place, making Vehemence a dangerous proposition to those unused to such a rich palette being used in Death Metal.

The tracks don’t get boring. Repeated listens merely cement the songs in your mind and lock down the fact that this is infectious, impressive stuff. Quality riffs, melodies, leads and solos make for a luscious and textured tapestry of sounds designed to entice, peak interest and satisfy those hard-to-reach cravings that you have for melodic music that still has bite and nastiness.

Getting this is a bit of a no-brainer really; make sure that you do.

Die Choking – III (Review)

This is the debut album from US Grinders Die Choking.

After two very good-but-short EPs, (I and II), we now get III; this time, it’s longer.

Although not by much, really. Here we have a whole 14 minutes of tightly-compressed angry music. After the promise of the two EPs, this release lives up to my expectations.

The music is modern Grindcore full of extremity and rage, burning everyone around it with its intensity and brutality.

Their sound has progressed and developed from their earlier Grindings into an even more focused expression of hatred and violence. The vocals have improved and seem buried in the music in such a way it seems impossible to separate them.

Each song may be short, but they still manage to pack in a lot of content, with quite a few different sub-styles of Grind rearing their malformed heads throughout. It all adds a good degree of interest and variety in what is essentially a chaotic blast-fest of brutality and destruction. From old to new styles, from crust to modern, from Napalm Death to Misery Index; there’s a lot of meat on this violent treat.

If you’re into Grindcore, (and who isn’t, really?), then this is highly enjoyable and easily likeable.

Arrant Saudade – The Peace of Solitude (Review)

Arrant Saudade are a Funeral Doom band from the UK. This is their début album.

Featuring members of Aphonic Threnody and Abysmal Growls of Despair, you know there’s already a wealth of Doom experience and knowledge behind this release before you even hit play.

And when you do hit play, it starts off gently with piano, and then slowly awakens a the sleeping spirit of despair.

Slow, drawn-out and dripping with lost hope, these 5 songs take 44 minutes out of your life only to replace them with a very real and visceral sense of woe and misery.

Monstrous vocals are deep and unrelenting, growling their way through the solitude of the music like brutal and unwelcome guests.

So far, so Funeral Doom. But then Arrant Saudade do the unexpected and introduce clean vocals, and suddenly everything changes. Sometimes ethereal and sometimes sombre, these choir-like vocals are expertly performed and perfectly judged. When the angelic cleans soar above the beautiful music and seem to join with the resplendent melodies to create something greater than the sum of its Funeral Doom parts…it makes quite an impact I can tell you. Post-Funeral Doom? Sure, why not.

At any rate, the heavenly cleans and the dreamy, melancholic music seem to wash over you like liquid sound and it really is an uplifting and transcendent experience in many ways.

Okay, so not everything is perfect about this album – there are few which can lay claim to this grandiose title – but it’s hugely accomplished and, importantly, does something a bit different with the style. The core of the sub-genre is there with all of the hallmark traits, but The Peace of Solitude is far more emotive and atmospheric than most of its peers, gleaming with dazzling brightness and lustrous with magnificent despondency.

In some ways the growls are the weakest parts of these songs – it’s not that they’re badly done, (they’re not), it’s just that the rest of the music is so very well done that they have some catching up to do.

A relatively minor quibble though, in what is a very impressive slab of uplifting misery.

Highly recommended.

Avulsed – Altar of Disembowelment (Review)

Avulsed are a Death Metal band from Spain. This is their latest EP.

Avulsed are one of the best Death Metal bands in the world. Sorry, but that’s just a fact. Ever since I first got Stabwound Orgasm in 1999, I’ve been hooked, and that album still remains one of the best of the genre.

Their last album Ritual Zombi was full of gruesome goodies, and on this latest EP, we get a short 23 minutes of brutality, comprising 4 originals and a Black Sabbath cover.

The Avulsed seal of quality we’ve come to expect from these veterans is firmly stamped all over these tracks and the music is full of well-written songs that are catchy, memorable and filled with meaty Death Metal morsels.

Their venerated singer still sounds like the father of all Cookie Monsters and his voice, as usual, is cavernous with aggressive growls sounding larger than life and twice as deadly.

If you don’t know Avulsed, (tsk tsk), then just know that they play Classic Death Metal with plenty of catchy riffs, licks and brutal heaviness.

The production is heavy, clear and wrapped in an odour of entrails. The instruments all shine when they need to and everything is balanced and perfectly covered in blood.

Another top-quality release from Avulsed. Let’s hope they reign in bloody chunks for many years to come.