UMUR
"Erupted Wrath" is the debut full-length studio album by Japanese death metal act Defiled. The album was released through Bizarre Records in September 1999. "Erupted Wrath" was originally planned for release in 1997, but due to label issues, the release was delayed a couple of years. Defiled was formed in 1992 and released a demo in 1993 and the "Defeat of sanity" EP in 1994. All five tracks from the EP are also featured in re-recorded versions on "Erupted Wrath". There have been two lineup changes since the release of "Defeat of sanity (1994)", as drummer Kouji Uchida has been replaced by Naoki Akamatsu and lead vocalist Masafumi Kitamura has been replaced by Hideki Fujimoto.
The style of music played on "Erupted Wrath" is brutal technical death metal, but Defiled are one of the acts on that particular scene who manage to stand out. While all the standard elements of the genre (ultra brutal growling vocals, brutal downtuned guitar riffs, powerful drumming and loads of tempo changes) are in place on the album, there is a twist to Defiled´s music, which makes them a standout act. Maybe it´s Japan´s remote location or unique culture which have an impact on their output, but it always seems like Japanese metal acts are able to twist the conventions of the genres they play, and create their own variation of various sub-genres, and Defiled also fall under that catagory of Japanese acts.
It´s hard to explain because to the untrained ear the material on "Erupted Wrath" probably sound similar to a lot of other brutal technical death metal, but the way Defiled play and write music are charmingly unpredictable. The many tempo changes and creative guitar riffs, paired with the occasional "high in the mix" busy bass playing, are just some of the features, which provide "Erupted Wrath" with a unique sound. But they also understand how to make the most out of more "regular" death metal elements. For example the parts on the album featuring sustained guitar chords over blasting drums. It´s a simple trick used by many, but here it´s highly effective creating brutal and sinister sounding moments on the songs where they appear.
The power and passion behind the delivery are also great assets. There is a burning conviction here and a lot of skill involved, which work really well. Lead vocalist Hideki Fujimoto has a strong growling delivery and there is an aggressive edge to his vocals, which is really effectfull. "Erupted Wrath" features an organic, dark, and raw sound production, which suits the material perfectly, and upon conclusion it´s a high quality release through and through. A 4 star (80%) is fully deserved.