Time Signature
Escape to superthrash...
Genre: thrash metal
A couple of years ago Untimely Demise released the instant thrash classic City of Steel, and now they are back with a vengeance, having recently released their second full-length effort Systematic Eradication. If we are to judge a book, well a CD, by its cover, then Untimely Demise have already won. I mean, the nihilistic title and the sci-fi inspired cover artwork, thing pretty much don't get more thrash.
But how about the music? Well, absolutely nothing wrong with that. As on the previous release, the Canadian thrashers explore a variety of thrash metal aesthetics, combining fierce uptempo thrash riffage with a dose of death metal brutality and a touch of melody. The opener 'Spiritual Embezzlement' is a fierce and aggressive track akin to Exodus at their most aggressive while 'The Last Guildsman' is quite melodic and features elements that border on power-thrash. 'Somali Pirates' takes the listener back into the territory of speed and aggression. The dynamics of aggression juxtraposed with melody characterizes the entire album and makes for a very varied listening experience.
There seems to be a considerable influence from Chuck Schuldiner's Death on this album, which is reflected in the more technical passages on the album. In particular, 'Escape from Supermax' strikes me as being somewhat of an homage to the creative mind of Schuldiner. Obviously, it takes an advanced level of musicianship to pull off this sort of stuff. Fortunately, Untimely Demise's level of musicianship is top notch, s they can easily pull off the Death-inspired elements, and the performance is impressive across the board – from the skilled drumming over the presice riffage to the advanced guitar solos. The often screethcy vocals may be an aquired taste, but after a couple of spins, you should get used to them, and, at the end of the day, it just wouldn't be the same without this particular singing style.
Fans of thrash metal who appreciate top notch musicianship and a great production, and who have a soft spot for musicians who are not afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves (without every being unoriginal) should check out this album. It seems that Untimely Demise have made another instant thrash metal classic.
(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)