This is the Japanese death metal band's 6th album. I really liked their last full length though, the one that preceded it did not do too much for me. First off, just being from Japan might seem like a novelty when it comes to the genre, but I do not care where you are from I expect every death metal band to bring it as hard as Morbid Angel or Incantation. The way they hit China going into the doomier moments is rawer than your average American death metal band. The album's title track allows this darker side of the band to come through. The album opens with a brief instrumental leaving 'Spontaneous Rot" as the song that has to make the impression on me, and its deliberate grinding groove does that. However, three songs in, and guttural grime seems to be the main color this album is painted with.
There are two kinds of death metal bands. Once that go for big slick production and then those that just plug in a rough it about like their Combat Records idols. The Motothead-like thrashing of "Chains" opens shows the band's punk influence, letting you know what category these guys fall in. The interesting effects on the vocals in this song, prove they are not against experimenting they just do not want it to take their edge from them/. This is what puts these guys into the second class of death metal bands. They do change things up to give a melodic drone to the riff that guides "Everlasting Spiral". In the song's final two minutes, they build note worthy momentum. That same momentum seems like it spilled over into "Things Infestation" as I did not realize it had transitioned into a new song. This speaks to the uniformity of sound. It is not until midway into the song that the riff comes to get the job done. Being released on Relapse Records March 29th.
"Headless Monarch' starts off as a solid headbanger, then it falls prey to the most common misstep taken by many a death metal band and they speed up. They speed up in a manner that makes the song feel rushed in this section. The last song at first seems like it has promise, but hammers you all the filthy chugs you expect from death metal. This is really a matter of perspective as there are some fans who are going to love this face, they do not want the unexpected but want the same safe sounds. These guys execute these sounds effectively, but it feels like they could have taken more chances as songwriters. Yes, even when things break down to the bass line. I will give this album an 8.5, very solid and what their fans want, they should not be disappointed, but when it comes to the replay value for me personally I think they played it a little too safe.
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