ALGOPHOBIA — Algophobia (review)

ALGOPHOBIA — Algophobia album cover Album · 1997 · Technical Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Conor Fynes
'Algophobia' - Algophobia (6/10)

Shortly after the wave of excellent forward-thinking US death metal in the early '90s, there was an inevitable backlash of bands attempting to copycat the originals. The bands I am speaking of who innovated what we now know as the progressive death metal scene are now legends, with Atheist and Death first coming to mind. Algophobia is an Italian reaction to this Florida-based death metal scene, a strong group of musicians playing a familiar style in tribute. Their technical proficiency aside, it should not come as much of a surprise that while quality is evident in the band's performance, Algophobia's self-titled debut doesn't come across as much more than a clone of acts that frankly did it better the first time around.

Algophobia is a word that refers to the pathological fear of pain, so it seems we are in death metal territory here, alright. The band plays a slightly melodic brand of technical death metal, not as overbearing and triggered as modern tech death, but maintaining a ferocious musical proficiency to it. The influence of jazz music is implied in the groovy bass licks and frantic rhythms of the band. In this sense, Algophobia are taking a nod from Atheist, and that is the band whom these Italians seem to be emulating the most. As is entailed with the tech death style, the musicians are all fantastic, and quite tight as an act. The music is fairly unrelenting, and there is not much diversity, save for a solo or schizoid melody firing through the speakers here and there. Algophobia is playing very able death metal here, but one thing that deters from the listen is the production. I certainly prefer an organic studio job almost any day over something mechanical and triggered-sounding, but on 'Algophobia', the mix is very muddy, and this becomes quite a problem when you take into account the fact that the musicians' performances are being obscured and robbed of their details. The sound is chaotic, and while the production does take away from what could have been a better album, the band's energy and technical virtue keep them interesting.

Of course, interesting does not always mean 'original', and Algophobia certainly do not explore new grounds with this. Instead, it's as if they are trying to mirror the glory of Atheist, addressing most every detail in that band's sound. Even down to the higher pitched rasp of Luizio Dezi, everything feels like Algophobia are trying to recreate Atheist's 'Unquestionable Presence', sans the softer jazz moments. To a degree, the band does manage to pull this off, as the comparison between this and Atheist can be made within seconds of listening to the music. As one might guess, the disciples do not outdo the innovators, and despite the prowess of its musicians, Algophobia's self-titled is left sounding like an obscure grandchild of 'Unquestionable Presence'.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Merciless Crossover Thrash
BODY COUNT
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 5 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 5 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 5 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 5 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 5 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed