HEMOTOXIN — Biological Enslavement (review)

HEMOTOXIN — Biological Enslavement album cover Album · 2016 · Technical Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Biological Enslavement" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US, California based death/thrash metal act Hemotoxin. The album was released through Unspeakable Axe Records in April 2016. It´s the successor to "Between Forever... and the End" from 2013, although the two albums were bridged by the "Alchemist" EP from 2014.

Stylistically the music on "Biological Enslavement" is a technically well played type of death/thrash. Early 90s Death (the band) is probably the most obvious influence, but Hemotoxin are not clones by any means (even though they´ve chosen to cover Death´s "Suicide Machine" and add it as a bonus track). There´s a good level of aggression in the music and especially lead vocalist/guitarist Michael Chavez delivers some really convincing, raw, and intelligible snarling vocals, but the instrumental part of the music is also rather punishing. Hemotoxin occasionally venture into slightly more adventurous territories and when they do that they remind me a bit of an act like Revocation.

The quality of the material on the album isn´t quite as high as the output by that reference though, and that mostly boils down to the songwriting lacking a bit of memorability. The album is entertaining enough while it plays, but it´s not many songs you remember when it´s over. The musicianship is generally on a high level, with the above mentioned fierce vocal delivery as the high point of the performance, but the sound production is slightly lacking too. It´s hard to put a finger on what exactly it is about it, but there is a messy mastering or something else wrong with it. It´s nothing too serious and I´m fully able to enjoy the album without thinking too much about it, but it could certainly have been better.

Upon conclusion "Biological Enslavement" is still a pretty decent release by Hemotoxin though and the convincing delivery of the material and occasional killer riff are enough to make it an interesting release, although neither the songwriting nor the sound production reaches great heights. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is deserved.
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