UMUR
"False" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Dutch death metal act Gorefest. The album was released in November 1992 by Nuclear Blast Records. The album was generally well received by both critics and fans and cemented Gorefest position as one of the leading Dutch death metal acts.
A few lineup changes made the album sound a bit different from the more raw old school sounding debut album "Mindloss (1991)". Marc Hoogendoorn was replaced by Ed Warby on the drums and it gave Gorefest an improved more powerful sound. I don´t think there are two opinions about it, Ed Warby is a solid and skilled drummer. But as if this wasn´t enough guitarist Alex van Schaik was also replaced by new guitarist Boudewijn Bonebakker and that replacement had ( and would have) an even greater impact on the band´s sound. Boudewijn Bonebakker was very influenced by seventies hard rock acts and especially Thin Lizzy and their harmony guitar leads. Boudewijn Bonebakker made it clear from the beginning that he wished that band would move in a more melodic direction.
That may not register on initial listen of "False" which is in its nature a rather brutal death metal album, but on repeated listens melodic details and harmony guitar sections reveal themselves. Jan-Chris De Koeijer´s brutal yet decipherable deep growling style is maybe the prime example of how I like a death metal vocalist to sound. Crushingly brutal yet able to deliver a memorable hook. The 9 track, 46:10 minute long album is very consistent throughout and therefore I won´t point out too many highlights on the album but I do need to mention "Reality - When You Die" as one of those "classic" death metal tracks that you have to have heard. The lyrical themes on the album have changed a lot since the band´s gore themed beginnings and the lyrics on "False" all evolve around social/ political/ personal themes. Actually there are a few nods towards Napalm Death when it comes to the lyrics but there are some grindcore elements in the music too. Take a listen to "Get - A - Life" for an example of that.
The Colin Richardson production is very powerful and suits the music perfectly.
All tracks on the album are powerful death metal songs with good rythmic variation, great production, excellent musicianship and powerful vocals, so it´s hard to ask for much more than that. The topping on the cake are of course the harmony guitar lines that really work well. "False" is a "classic" death metal album from the early nineties and for fans of the genre it´s a mandatory purchase IMO. If you are considering a purchase of a Gorefest album, make sure to make it this one. A 4 star rating is deserved.