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Interviews

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domenica 2 ottobre 2016

Johansson and Speckmann - Mask of the Treacherous

#FOR FANS OF: Old-School Death Metal, Paganizer, Revolting, Master
International death metal collaboration Johansson and Speckmann are certainly putting their collective might together in this project that brings the two luminaries together once again for a spectacular assault of old-school death metal. As befits the status of the men involved here, this is their usually simplistic and overly primitive-styled mixture of straightforward death metal augmented with strong thrashing overtones. This utterly simplistic and not all that varied music within here allows it either to be a rather tight and ferocious charge swirling with mid-tempo agonized riffing and plodding paces or generates a crunchy thrash-laden series of rhythms that offer up some rather frantic and blistering efforts, and it really sounds like a full-on mixture of both artists’ main groups. While there’s plenty of rather enjoyable work here because of that, it tends to run itself into quite predictable realms because it’s all about letting their main bands come together in one area without much deviation and it does crop up as something within this one. Still, it’s got plenty to really like here in other regards. The opening title track uses tight, crunchy riffing and plenty of ravenous rhythms bouncing along to the straightforward patterns that keep the thrashing elements present during the charge into the final half for a solid and enjoyable opening effort. ‘Inhuman Lust’ has a light intro that turns into a thrashing mid-tempo assault of blistering riffing and tight drumming that switches between mid-tempo pummeling and ravenous straightforward patterns that leads into the swarming leads in the final half for another solid and enjoyable effort. ‘Through the Filth and Riddled Ages’ features a swirling mid-tempo groove fitted with plenty of heavy chugging with a plodding mid-tempo backing up the straightforward, simplistic patterns as the heavy thumping patterns carry on into the final half for a fine highlight offering. Both ‘The Wicked Marches On’ and ‘The Bringer of Pain’ take on strong and blistering rhythms with plenty of furious and strong rhythms backing into the frenzied riff-work that thrashes along throughout here with rather frantic abandon while incorporating plenty of epic melodies in the final half for fine highlights. ‘I'll End Your Rotten Life’ also uses the frenzied swirling riffing and blasting drumming while offering more of a mid-tempo crunch in the rhythms leading into the series of tight patterns throughout the final half for a rather enjoyable offering. ‘Within Reach’ offers strong blasting and frantic riffing that brings along the utter ferocity and intensity throughout here with plenty of tight, ripping riff-work that flows along to the speed-driven thrashing of the finale for a rather ripping effort. ‘Enslaved in Filth’ uses more tight and ripping rhythms that come along with plenty of stuttering crunchy patterns in the riff-work that really works into a strong blistering charge throughout the frenzied final half for a solid, blistering effort. Lastly, album-closer ‘A Grave for This World’ features thumping mid-tempo swirling patterns and plenty of agonized churning riffing that charges along through the rather tight, twisting rhythms that generates the kind of ravenous intensity that carries along throughout the final half which gives this some great work to go out on. This really furthers their collaboration quite well. (Don Anelli)