ThrOes : " This Viper Womb"

This newer form of death metal is not really out thing, but here it is down in a dark enough manner that we can appreciate. This one man band employed Kevin Talley of Suffocation, Six Feet Under, Daath, Dying Fetus...etc  to play drums on this oddly mixed piece of modern metal. Talley has been doing session work with various artists in a manner many session drummers do these days, you send them the tracks and they play over it. It creates an odd mix. There is little organic sounding about this. The vocals are way to forward in the mix overpowering the guitar and drums. This unfortunate because the vocals are actually the weakest link in this equation. They are screamed in a rather spastic manner falling somewhere between metal core and death metal. The second song is a little cohesive, though the layers of vocals can be a little much. The weird transition into the more hard rock section of the song, could have been segued a little better. The guitar solo is on the better side of decent and could have used a little more love in post-production.

The guitars on this album have some interesting ideas that get a little crowded in the death metal explosion around it. The vocals scream in a heavier manner than the song might actually be asking. The guitar does lock into some grooves that might inspire head banging in the more thoughtful death metal fan. Of course Talley's double bass is immaculate and it's clear to hear why his services are in demand. When the bass steps into the spotlight on " Conscience Makes Cowards" the overall sound finds renewed sonic depth. The vocals are once again the heaviest element of the song, and it's really a matter of the mix that keeps it from really enthralling me. But like I said before this kind of metal takes more to win me over. There are so many layers of vocals dripping with effects that it is heard to really hear what is going on at times and the cool guitar lines need to blast out of the din. Things begin to improve as the album chugs on with the guitar on "Nothing Left For the Vultures" given more room to breathe. The vocal screech in more of a black metal register here. There is a more straight forward churn to "Nowhere Else" which is the second place I hear more of a rock influence creep in. The guitar shines when not being crowded out by the vocals.

Of course I like when things take a darker turn on the title track. The guitar finds a pretty cool groove in the songs final minutes. They return to a more blasting and sonic take on modern death metal with the kind of passion that could care less if "Altars of Madness" ever came out. There is more of a furious blast to "Feed It" with the guitar fighting against the deluge to add nuance. The relentless shrieking of the vocals adds abrasion to what would otherwise be an almost melodic flow. This project struggles against the urge to stay heavy even if it means going against the grain of what a better quality of song might call for. This is a plight many extreme heavy bands struggle with not wanting to compromise their heaviness, but I think a song like "Feed It" proves at the end of the day good music will always win out. I'll give this album a 7, the project has promise if the vocals are toned down, maybe it's not an issue of delivery but where they sit in regard to the guitar.