For me, death metal is a lot
like a blow job. There really is no such
thing as a bad one, nor is there such a thing as bad death metal. Even the generic, paint by numbers kind of
death metal has its redeeming qualities, just like getting oral sex from
someone who really isn't into doing it for you.
As long as you get to finish then there's no way its bad. And just like standing at the front of the
stage, center, for the At The Gates reunion show, when you get a blow job from
someone who loves to do it and knows what they are doing, it is mind blowing.
Which is a long winded and
probably unnecessary way to let you know that Overtorture are a death
metal band. A new one in fact, and this
is their debut release. Although these
guys as individuals have been around the block with previous bands such as Grave,
Demonical, Insision and Coldworker, so there is definitely a veteran
feel to this band. Sometimes, being
veterans of a style can mean that the death metal being presented is a little
stagnant and same old, same old, but not in this case. The combination of guys who know the genre
but are playing with new people make this work very well.
I think what I like most about
death metal is that you know what you are going to get. There is nothing gentle and nothing pretty
about this music. If your speakers can
handle it, you can literally turn it up until you feel it, like a 20 pound sledgehammer
to the chest. It has a certain pummeling
characteristic about it which just feels really good sometimes. Sometimes you just need to acknowledge that
it's been a shitty day and listen to some music that says, “Yeah man, it has,
now let's bash all of the shittiness out!”
And you put on some death metal and an hour or so later, the world is
right again.
There are some good tracks on
this release, and there are some most excellent track here as well. The opener, “Black Shrouds of Dementia” busts
of the gate feeling deliciously off kilter, just the way to start something like
this. I really like “The Outer Limits”
as well. There is a guitar part that's
not a riff, more like just a little flourish, that pops up in places and really
hits the spot. “The Coming Doom” is a
tasty down tempo number that shows off a little variation in the death metal
genre. “Towards The Within” is a
bitchin' song title, and adds some nice punkishness to the mix. And all the others are very well done and
will have you moshing with yourself in no time.
You don't have to break new
ground or create a new path with everything you release. There is nothing wrong at all with good,
solid, enjoyable death metal. This album
put me in a good mood and had me doing the full on head bob, and you metalheads
know what I'm talking about there. Check
these guys out and you will be glad that you did.
- ODIN
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