THE SOUND OF PERSEVERANCE

The finale, the ripper. Holy hell, does it deserve most of the praise tossed its way.

The riffs, oh my the riffs. Each riff that is sent crushing your way will devastate your ears and placate your mind with unnerving fury. Each song houses at least one brilliant moment of riffing that I think even Iommi would have to sit in awe of as he spat in jealous fits.

Then there are the shredding vocals. Chuck's high but throaty monster wails that lament the wonderfully brutal lyrical themes that permeate this splendid record. He sounds so vile and messy, so chainsaw-like in his vocal delivery, that while riding alongside the riffs, it is as if Lucifer were composing a lucid symphony. He progressives in this respect with each new release. I would have loved to see where his music lead if he had lived longer.

I don't feel Rick Christy is as technically skilled a drummer as Hoglan, but this album has all the hammering, exploding, blast beating, pulverizing playing that adds so much depth and feel to each dark track. What a splendid rhythm keeper, and essential to the overall sound. Along with the more than competent bassist, the bottom end is guarded well.

And what of the guitar pyrotechnics? This was technical death metal, last I heard. My word, and all the other great words, the guitars dance (although it is a dance on a pit of hot coals) around each other with visceral rage. Pounding riff after merciless riff into your skull, and the solos are incontrovertibly violent and wild. Aggressive playing that contours the band so very well. Rhythm and lead intertwine and shake and wind as they lead you on a roller-coaster into hell.

In all, the album is a seminal death metal release, and is essential for fans of any sort of extreme genre. Progressive? That is subjective. But, this is thoughtful, knotty, highly technical, brutal, and complex music. All of the songs are highlights, but the riff that explodes on Spirit Crusher may very well be an epoch. Flesh and the Power It Holds is a favorite, and the cover of Painkiller closes magnificently. Essential technical death metal.

Five Stars.

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