UMUR
"Annihilate To Liberate" is an EP release by UK death metal act Dyscarnate. The EP was independently released in November 2008. Dyscarnate formed in 2003 under the Incarnate monicker but changed to the current one in 2004. They released one demo under the Incarnate monicker and a second demo under the Dyscarnate name before recording and releasing "Annihilate To Liberate".
Dyscarnate are the type of act who don´t let the listener wait in suspense to reveal what they have to offer. Right from the opening notes of EP opener "Fuelling the Ignorance" it´s made abundantly clear that these guys mean business...serious business in terms of delivering their brand of death metal in the most caustic and relentlessly aggressive, brutal, and furiously fast-paced fashion. It´s a sledgehammer to the face type of listening experience and "Annihilate To Liberate" is a release bound to leave the listener out of breath and exhausted. There isn´t a second on this 5 track, 21:28 minutes long EP which can even remotely be considered a breather.
While it´s definitely a pummeling release in every way possible, there is a bit more to the music than just brutality and aggression. This is technically very well played and the tracks feature effectful tempo changes, sharp riffs (and heavy brutal grooves), and some very convincing and commanding growling vocals. The lack of lead guitar motifs and solos make the tracks a slightly one-dimensional listening experience, and just a few of those would probably have made the EP a more memorable release. Dyscarnate are completely uncompromising though, and while I may not agree with every songwriting decision they´ve made here, I always applaud a band who doesn´t compromise with their musical vision.
"Annihilate To Liberate" features a raw, brutal, and unpolished sounding production job, and while the production suits the material well, it could have been interesting to hear a few more details (more variation), as it´s obviously music featuring a lot of intriguing notes and rhythms. So if you enjoy your death metal brutal, aggressive, and raw, but still played with great technical skill, "Annihilate To Liberate" is a recommended listen. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.