Artificial Brain - Labyrinth Constillations

ARTIFICIAL BRAIN
Labyrinth Constellation (2014)

  

  The intergalactic apocalypse is upon us and it is being masterminded by an Artificial Brain. If you like science fiction and unorthodox death metal half as much as I do you're in for one hell of a journey with this record. In recent years death metal has been working to regain my trust in all things technical. The list of hyper technical, overly produced, boring and all too sterile tech death had been growing at such an alarming rate up until recently that I sometimes wondered if I should just write off anything with a 'technical' tag attached to it. And then Ulcerate came along and re-opened my mind to the sub-genre's potential. Since then there have been a slew of highly creative death metal bands who have found themselves able to craft expansive and thematic works of technical mayhem without giving themselves over to masturbatory showoff riffs or losing the human elements of their musicianship. New York's Artificial Brain work to further this cause with their debut full length Labyrinth Constellation. An absolute monster of a sci-fi inspired record that compounds my love of all things violently alien.

  This record starts off with a roar that made me prepare to get aurally pummeled for the entire listen, but I soon realized I was in for a journey with much more subtlety than I initially thought. Not to say this record doesn't obliterate everything in it's path, because it does.....but upon finishing its various waves of destruction it pauses for brief, less oppressive musical interludes to catch a breath and let the listener survey the carnage.

  The musical versatility on this record is staggering, everything from atonal Ulcerate inspired riffage to atmospheric black metal passages and even short synth and perfectly understated orchestral arrangements find their way into this one, all to incredible levels of success. The members of this band are obviously high level students of extreme music and this is their universe shaking doctorate thesis.

  Also, one can never overstate the importance of cover art, and this one is a doozy, as you can see above. Paolo Girardi adds another masterpiece to his already stellar resume, further re-enforcing his position on the metal art Mt. Rushmore.

  Fans of Demilich, Gorguts, Timeghoul, Ulcerate and Nocturnus need, and I emphasize need, to listen to this record. It's early in the year, but I can safely say, this album is gonna end up somewhere high on 2014's best album list. Now forgive me, I've gotta go leave to pack my interstellar bug-out bag, cuz we aren't long for this planet.


9/10 ruptured eardrums

Act of Impalement - Hyperborean Altar

ACT OF IMPALEMENT

Hyperborean Altar (2013)



   These Nashville filth spewers are set to make some waves here soon, I'm willing to bet. Their brand of raw and visceral noise brings together bits of every sub-genre of extreme music one could care to list ranging from straight forward death doom, to blackened d-beat crust not to forget a wholly unhealthy dose of southern fried sludge. It's pretty apparent these guys have a diverse background of extreme musical influences they are drawing from, and it all adds up to a pretty damn good listen.

   Necromancers Theme starts this one off as a sort of anthem written for and about a more feral and knuckledragging species than any that grace our plane currently. At 4:04 and the second longest song on the EP, it's a great intro to what is to be a graceless descent into a merciless flogging.
The next three tracks go by in a furious mess of blood and teeth ending with the only track I disliked on the album, No Viking Funeral for Betrayers. Now, I didn't actually dislike the content of said song, mind you, because it definitely crushes.....it just felt unfinished and ended all too abruptly right went I felt like it should have really taken off.
The next track, Inquisition (of the innocent), gives us an almost expected (due to the songs title), but still abrupt black metal sucker punch that makes the nose bleed and eyes water, but leaves you wanting more and satisfied simultaneously.
Then the big guns come out with the albums two best tracks. Northumbrian King delivers a fetid doom dirge of massive proportions in preparation for the albums closer,  Rise, Ancient Pantheon, an 80's swedeath guitar tone driven sludge outre that wraps this album in a burial shroud that you probably shouldn't look under.

  This little piece of nastiness has its flaws, a few rushed moments that could have been a little further developed and maybe an awkward arrangement or two. But I really can't complain too much, seeing as so many bands that deal in doom and sludge as heavily as AoI can tend to drone on too long. All in all, this is a solid, creative and fulfilling listen. Keep your ears on these guys, if this is any indication of what they've got in store for us, the bowels of Hell are the limit.


7.5/10 ruptured eardrums

Incantation- Vanquish in Vengeance

    Incantation are back and it's a whole lot more of the same old shit. Same old never tiring riffs, same old domination of the American Death Metal front, same old dedication to excellence. I'm starting to wonder if there's a bottom to this well of inspiration they draw from, I'm hoping not, but if there is.....they don't seem to be nearing it.

   One of my favorite aspects of this band has always been their versatility. They can play both straightforward hard hitting and fast paced death metal and death/doom, both at very high levels. And all of that variety is found once again on this record. From the opening track Invoking Infinity (which displays tendencies of the former) to the album closer Legion of Dis (which masters the latter) this record hits hard and goes in all the engagingly crushing and different directions I've come to expect from this Penn state foursome over the years. These fellas have always nailed the whole "evil as hell" death metal vibe with ease, all the while avoiding any semblance of 'try hard' status or the dreaded "cheesy" tag. It's a fine line to walk when writing tunes to stay out of those areas while still writing disturbing music, but Incantation are master craftsmen when it comes to this, and all of this is once again present on now their ninth release.

   Now, I had a few small issues with this record from a production standpoint. The guitars, at times, can sound a little feeble compared to some of their previous releases. Nothing to do with the songwriting, which is excellent on this record, more so they just sound a bit hollow and wavering, taking away a small percentage of the unrelenting and punishing feel that the band worked so hard to craft for this release. Same thing with the vocals at points, all though to a lesser extent.

   Besides my nitpicking, this is a solid record from an infinitely solid and virtually unparalleled band that have been doing their thing for 20 plus years, all without showing any signs of slowing down. Dunno how these old bastards do it without having ever tread into the questionable waters of some of their genre peers, but they have, and I thank them for ever second of their catalogue .


7.5/10 ruptured eardrums

 

Manic Scum- Better Left Undead -E.P.

     Tennessee: The new heartland of grind.....well, maybe not, but Manic Scum have offered up something that will certainly get old school grindcore and even death metal fans to sit up and take note. These guys play with a true old school death grind mentality, bringing the grit and fire of classic acts such as Repulsion, but never forgetting the almighty groove, a la Carcass. This five piece outfit is doing some things that a lot of other bands that share the same genre description have forgotten how to do, and they're doing them well. Aggression is in no short supply on this seven song EP, but not at the expense of highly catchy riffing. A great blend of tempos are addressed as well, despite none of the tracks breaking the three minute mark. As far as production values go, this record delivers, bringing a raw and DIY feel without losing anything in the mix, a thing not always worked toward when talking about bands of this style.

      I'm interested in seeing these guys grow. While they aren't the most forward thinking grind band to ever grace this planet, they have a strong base to build on and their tribute to the genre greats of yore shines through in every note they play. Cheers fellas, and thanks for the crushingly fun tunes.


7/10 ruptured eardrums

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agtKgJJdRRw