#FOR FANS OF: Death/Black, Hate, Necrowretch |
This new EP from the Colombian Death/Black Metal veterans offers up much of the same as what was on display throughout the rest of their offerings. The basis is on impossibly blistering riff-work augmented by truly ferocious drumming in their up-tempo moments that continue for the most part unheeded by their full-throttle paces which is an utterly devastating series of tactics that makes this here truly enjoyable. This is all nicely balanced with a mid-tempo groove-styled charge that drops the chaotic frenzy of the frantic drumming that brings in a nice amount of restraint and balance to the material as it’s not set on full-scale demolition the entire time out and that variety is nicely appreciated. A lot of this is mainly due to the rather frantic ability of the drumming to be almost triggered with a machine, lending even more of a frenzied and off-the-walls quality of the material in addition to the blistering tempos and more melodic work present throughout the rest of the album which gives it that absolutely dirty and primal sound that’s so common and enjoyable about extreme South American bands. On the whole there’s little about this that’s not to like, it just mainly comes from the fact that being only four tracks long it’s over so quick and is so enjoyable as it runs through its paces that it serves as a teaser more than a collection of extra tracks and really seems destined to fall short as if a full-length effort would be more appreciated despite the consistent and cohesive quality displayed here. For the most part this is a wholly enjoyable and explosive piece of work. The title track opens with a light acoustic guitar before blasting into frenzied, chaotic drum-blasts and wholly ferocious riffing firing through blistering tempos as the impossibly brutal machine-gun blasts and the accompanied tremolo-picked rhythms continue jockeying throughout the ravenous pace with the lighter tremolo riffs into the final half for a truly enjoyable first impression here. ‘Show Me That You Are Suffering’ offers a lighter tremolo-styled rhythm swirling through blistering drumming into an intense mid-tempo charge balanced with the frenzied riffing and frantic drumming that comes off with ferocious intent with the pounding rhythms firing along through the finale for another stand-out highlight. Being a little more melodic, ‘Gray Lands’ starts with a ravenous mid-tempo charge with restrained riffing and drum-work that works a devastating mid-tempo groove augmented with plenty of blistering drumming and a fine series of tremolo riffs that offer a melodic touch to the mid-tempo work with a frantic final half that makes this another fully enjoyable and standout track. Finale ‘Last Rites’ offers blistering drum-work and dynamic tremolo riffing with dynamic rhythms bouncing from the frenzied up-tempo blasts through the more melodic tremolo patterns through the sprawling, droning paces with a dynamic mid-tempo crunch giving way to the extended fade-out final half for an exciting conclusion to this. It’s really only the fact that, being so short it desperately leaves the listener wanting even more that lowers this somewhat. (Don Anelli)
(Cimmerian Shade Recordings - 2015)
Score: 85