Showing posts with label Pinoy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pinoy. Show all posts

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Discreate - Contingent Development of Inanimate Modifications - 2011 Demo - Viceral Vomit Records






This demo is a very strong one from another Filipino group, Discreate.  Let's dive right in.

Thought Form Perverted” starts by blasting your face off and then Michael Carlos (guitar) and Em Larzano (drums) spend the rest of the song proving they can write creatively and have played together for a while.  At first I didn’t think I would like this track.  It seemed so far from what I was expecting.  Experimental.  I actually like this a lot!   The guitar tone is raw, nothing is over produced, and this track serves as a nice foreshadowing promise to great songwriting.   I can’t wait to see how the vocalist will fit in with this band but I am pleased to hear an entire instrumental track.

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EDIT: I wrote the above portion of this review before receiving the actual demo, on which ‘Thought Form Perverted’ had been re-named ‘Thoughtforms’ and did in fact contain vocals.  It is also a live version on the demo.   If I had never listened to the first, instrumental version, I probably wouldn’t like this song at all.   I am glad I did though because now I know that once this track is actually tracked and rerecorded, or possibly recorded live better, it will be great.  I think that Miko did a great job with the vocals on the demo track, I only wish everything could be heard and parts determined.   All that being said, it is still better than most demo tracks from bands trying to be technical on their first demo.

Multiple Stabwounds” has good vocals and drumming over strange guitar riffs.   I am loving the creative flow between all three instruments here.   Yes, the guttural voice is an instrument; one that is not very often utilized to it’s fullest potential.   Miko Pareja, however, sounds well on his way.   For a 3 piece and no bass, this sounds huge!   The guitar solo is literally all over the place on this track but always starts and ends in a good spot.   Guitar and drums move together and are very tight. There is a main ‘chorus’ riff that is returned to a few times and it kind of holds everything else together.   All three members prove in this single song that they are all very talented at what they do.   If I were going to be picky, which I have to be, I would say that this song needed more structure.   It does, however, contain the kind of songwriting you would expect on a bands first demo.  I really hope that Discreate stays a three piece.   They are managing to get a unique sound and their songwriting is already quite creative and distinct.   If anything, they overdid some things here.   The solos on "Multiple Stabwounds" got to be a little much and at certain points throughout the demo things just felt a little rushed.  Their riffs are weird and creative enough to stand alone without too many technical fills.



"The Pleasure of Eternal Killing" starts with a sort of bouncy, simple riff that made me smile.  Awesome drums here as well.  Then I was thrown right into a hectic spiral full of quick riffs and deep gutturals steadily marching forth until the song slows down to an almost totally unstructured break (in a good way) and then builds back up again.  I am having some trouble describing this sound.  There are a lot of interesting/awesome tones and sounds coming from these three dudes, so buy this demo and listen closely!

Very happy to read this quote from the band: "we are amateur musicians with complicated passion for continuous learning

Discreate pushes the boundaries of brutal death metal and obviously plan on continuing to do just that. I am very excited for more from this band!

Discreate is currently working on a full-length debut for 2013.


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Disastrous - Severe Suffering - 2012 Brute! Productions






This Filipino band had a lot to live up to since there last release “Slavery of Disgusting Torture”. They fell short of doing so, but I think it is still worth checking out.
The recording on this album sounds sonically better and the vocals are mixed in nicely, but there is still a lack of range and dynamic.  The first track, “Kingdom of The Lifeless” is a little disorienting upon first listen.  It takes some effort to make sense of; everything feels like it has been hacked up and poorly put back together.  This song serves as a weak start to an album I was very, very excited to hear.  “It’s Your Turn To Kill” said one song to the next.  It does kill, in a few ways.  The drumming is consistent and the guitar is relentlessly, verging on messily, flying all over.  The bass guitar starts to shine through here also, but not anywhere near enough.  At 2:10 things change ever so slightly to an awesome pounding section that does not overstay it’s welcome, leading us into an abrupt ending.


"Liquid Flesh Splattered" opens with a generic sample of a screaming woman and wet noises, one could assume liquid flesh.  Luckily I have surprisingly not grown tired of these stupid samples unless of course they go on for to long.  The melodic riffs of the guitar are all over the place and chaotic. I think this record could use different recording/micing techniques to get cleaner sounds and better fitting tones.
 At around 1:35 the creativity that is Disastrous returns.  Simple yet effective brutality.  Drums do weird super splashing things and is a little distracting.
 "Removal of Spinal Cord" is a pretty boring song in context with the rest.  This is definitely one of those albums that should only be listened to as a whole, and it takes some warming up to.  The title track packs a refreshing punch that will wake you up.  Starting with the funky bass fill that might even make you dance a little bit.  This is my favorite track so far because I can hear the bass, and it’s groovy. It also has bits and pieces of weirdness that only Disastrous can put in a song and call it Brutal Death. Songs like this are why I fell in love with this band in the first place.
"Death Dimension" begins with a legitimately frightening sample and then proceeds to bash your skull in with what is apparently a kick ass second half of this album.  "Skull Fucking Pulverized" stays creative and catchy.  This band is good at stringing together parts and riffs and making them seem like they fit.  The last song is called "9.9" and it is almost that long.  I expected a six minute sample or something but luckily it starts off with some pretty interesting stuff and kind of reminds me of Disgorge.  Then, after some silence, our friend "Freddie The Blamer" shows up with some classical guitar skills.  This serves as a rather nice ending to a rather OK album.
My biggest complaint has to be the drums.  They always feel rushed or off in some way and come off bland and annoying.  While Severe Suffering has some gems, as a whole it just does not flow.
Still, Disastrous prove they are back at it and they are not fucking around.

The band has since signed to Sevared Records and are finishing work on their next album.

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