Engulf Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
HM: Certainly! I started writing material with the intent to release it under the Engulf moniker sometime during  my sophomore year of college (2015) after I realized that my old high school band (Chapel of Ruin) wasn't going to work out. We were all in school or working jobs at the time, and we were all in different locations. The music I wrote/write for Engulf is a continuation on the musical styles I was aiming for in Chapel of Ruin. I was going to look for other musicians to play with, but I didn't have a desire to work with anyone else at the time, so I went the "One-man band" route that others in the genre have before me (Putrid Pile, Bloodsoaked,etc). Currently the project is just me writing and recording all guitar, bass, and vocals (some lyrics contributed by friends) and me handling the drum programming as well.

2.In November, you have an ep coming out, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
HM: Musically, it is the conscious (but also non conscious) effort to blend my old school death metal influences (Suffocation, Gorguts, Morbid Angel) and funnel it through a more modern sounding audioscape. I also try to structure the songs in a fashion that they are digestible and memorable. I really hate records that take a million spins to remember anything that you listened to. The only objective I have going into a writing session for Engulf is Death Metal. Whatever comes out naturally to me is what you hear on the record. I've found that if I get too detailed into what I want for an Engulf song, it sounds forced and usually pretty bad and/or boring.

3.This ep is the first in a 3 part series, can you tell us a little bit more about this concept?
HM: At a high level, they will be tied together by a lyrical concept which was initially explored in my aforementioned high school band. The antagonist, an all knowing sentient being, "recruits" 3 otherworldly beings to terraform the earth. Each of the 3 beings have a unique background and description that I came up with, which will all be described in more detail in the planned liner notes for each release. I would divulge into more detail, but I would like the listener to read the liner notes when they come out and develop a visual all of their own. I owe huge thanks to my best friend Gary and brother Nick for the overarching lyrical concept; they laid the original base idea back in the CoR days, and I ran with it, expanding it into my own original story. They each contributed all of lyrics to the 2 songs on the Subsumed Atrocities EP.

4.Some of your lyrics cover fantasy, space and comics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topics?
HM: To put it simply, I feel like there is the most "new ground" to cover. I'm not an angry or hateful person by any means, so it's really hard to write anything along those lines that you might hear in a hardcore song, and the gore-themed lyrics that so many bands talk about are just not of interest to me and I believe they are overdone. I have always been a fan of sci-fi movies, as well as comics books. While you're watching/reading, you're able to put yourself into that world and disconnect, so to speak, from your current situation. I always thought that was a cool effect that those types of movies and books had on me.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Engulf'?
HM: To be honest, not a whole lot. I didn't want a super long name, and I wanted something that sounded "huge" enough to encompass the lyrical themes I was going after. Engulf wasn't taken, and fit that criteria, so I went with it. I was trying to think of the biggest thing that could happen to planet earth out of our control, and I though us being sucked up or "Engulfed" by a black hole. So I guess that is what spawned the name.

6.Currently this project is all solo, are you open to working with a full band or do you prefer to work by yourself?
HM: At the moment, and at least for EP II, it will be a solo effort. The songs planned for EP II were actually all written at the same time that Subsumed Atrocities was being written, so I could have released them all together. The songs for EP III and the full length are not fully written, so if an opportunity comes along in the meantime to collaborate, and I feel like I need some help finishing the songs, I am certainly open.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of brutal death metal?
HM: So far, reception has been 99.9% positive. I've had a further reach due to the help of Tito and Giorgio from Everlasting Spew Records, as they have been able to show alot of people the music on their side of the pond. The comparisons that have been made to other bands are humbling and the enthusiasm for more material showed by both my label owners as well as those who have found the material online is very encouraging.

8.Are you or have you ever been involved with any other bands or  musical projects?
HM: As I mentioned before, I had a band back in high school, Chapel of Ruin. It was a death metal project, similar to what you hear on the Engulf releases, but much more crude and not as well put together; my writing style hadn't fully developed and it showcased me and the rest of the band learning how to construct songs. I also play live and write with a Philadelphia based Melo-Death/Black metal band called Blasphemous. I joined that band in June 2016 and we have played many shows in the Northeast area. We are looking to record a full length before the end of the year and continue playing shows in 2018.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
HM: I would like to continue playing with Blasphemous to get my live performance fix as well as collaborate with the guys in that band; I've really enjoyed it so far. We'd like to try and play more shows along the coast as well as other places in the states. The good thing about the Engulf project is that I will always have a desire to write that style of death metal, and since it is at the core a solo studio effort, I can do it anywhere, anytime. I'd like to continue writing for Engulf and see what comes of the style as I gather more influence from other bands in other genres as well as my peers.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
HM: As far as my influences go, some of the traditional old school death metal records that inspired me to pick up the guitar include:
Suffocation-Effigy of the Forgotten (the solo in Liege of Inveracity and the sheer brutality of the record as a whole is still unrivaled)
Gorguts-Considered Dead (I really loved Luc's vocal delivery, as well as the unique nature of the riffs. Gorguts' later, more disjointed material is also a big influence on me)
Morbid Angel-Covenant (Vincent's vocals were absolutely monstrous on this record and the 7 string songs on the album are sooooooo heavy. Definitely a big influence musically and guitar tone wise; I love the dark tone Trey was able to achieve)

I've really been digging what Dark Descent has been doing (Spectral Voice, Desolate Shrine, Krypts), as well as Profound Lore (Bell Witch, Artifical Brain, Pallbearer, Grave Miasma). Extreme metal is in an awesome place right now, and the blending of styles that you see in some bands is just getting darker, heavier, and more twsited. I love it!

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
HM: I really enjoy going to the gym every morning before work, as well as cycling when time permits. Both activities really help me clear my head and get in good "thinking time". I also like watching sports and exploring new bars and restaurants with friends and family. I'm also a big foodie and love to cook (check my personal instagram for proof! @halmicroutsicos)

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or  thoughts?
HM: Just want to say thank you for the opportunity for being able to talk about the project a bit and the feature! Also thank you for everyone who has supported the EP and has had kind words to say, it really makes me want to continue writing more sick death metal for the Everlasting Spew Crew!

Eternal Hails,
HM

Redemptor/Arthaneum/Selfmadegod Records/2017 CD Review

  Redemptor  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  technical  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Arthaneum"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Selfmadegod  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.
 
  Vocals  are  mostly deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  brutal  sounding blast  beats  along  with  some  screams  and  spoken  word  parts  being  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  technical  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  when  solos  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars are also  added  onto  the  recording.

  Redemptor  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  technical  while  also  adding  something  different  to  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  life  and existential  topics.

  In  my  opinion  Redemptor  are  a  very  great  sounding  technical death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Enormous  Absolute"  "Arthaneum"  "Tremor"  and  "Departure".  8  out  of  10.    

Ketha/0 Hours Starlight/Selfmadegod Records/2017 CD Review

  Ketha  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  experimental,  avant  garde  and  technical  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album "0  Hours  Starlight"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Selfmadegod  Records.

  Clean  yet  distorted  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  spoken  and  melodic  vocals  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long and  epic  in  length.

  Avant  garde  and  mathcore  elements  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  music  is  also  very  experimental  along  with  some  psychedelic  sounds  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  style,  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  slide  guitars.

  Ketha  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  experimental,  avant  garde,  death  metal and  mathcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  writings  of  Stainslaw  Lem.

  In  my  opinion  Ketha  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  avant  garde,  math  core  and  technical  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Khranda"  "Bliss"  "Holos"  and  "HyperGiant".  8  out  of  10.    

Atena/Possessed/Indie Recordings/2017 CD Review

  Atena  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  modern  and  progressive  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Possessed"  which  was  released  by  Indie  Recordings.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  modern  prog  metal  elements  and  angry  shouting  vocals  are  also  used  at  times.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melodic  vocals  along  with  female  vocals  also  being  used  briefly,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  synths  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  nu  metal  can  also  be  heard  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  it  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Atena  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  progressive  while  also  adding  in  some  nu and  modern  metal  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  depression,  hate  and  fear  of  the  unknown.

  In  my  opinion  Atena  are  a  very  decent  sounding  modern  progressive  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Possessed"  "Death  Eating"  "Lock  Shut"  and  "Heartless".  7  out  of  10.       

Aynsophar/Abysmal Secrets Of The Unknown.Neverheard Distro/2017 EP Review

  Aynsophar  are  a  solo  project  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2017  ep  "Abysmal  Secrets  of  the  Unknown"  which  was  released  by  Neverheard Distro.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  some  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  A  great  amount  of  progressive  structures  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  technical  fashion  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  adding  clean  playing  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  melodic  vocals  and  the  ep  closes  with  an aboustic  instrumental.

  Aynsophar  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is very  progressive  and  technical  sounding, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  spiritual  theories,  psychology  and philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aynsophar  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  death metal  solo project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abysmal  Secrets  of  The  Unknown"  and  "Inhuman  Conditions".  8  out  of  10.



  

Engulf/Subsumed Atrocities/Everlasting Spew Records/2017 EP Review

  Engulf  are  a  solo  project  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  brutal  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  ep  "Subsumed  Atrocities"  which  will  be  released  in  November by  Everlasting  Spew  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutla  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  when  the  musical  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  A  great  amount  of  mid  90's  brutal  death  metal  influences can  be  heard  in  the  musical  style  while  both  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  and  the  music  always  remains  very  heavy  and  brutal.

  Engulf  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  brutal  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy,  space  and  violent  comic  book  themes,

  In  my  opinion  Engulf  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Aeons  Of  Hate".  8  out  of  10.  

Manhattan Lovestory/Self Titled/2017 Full Length Review

  Manhattan  Lovestory  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  modern  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released and  self  titled  2017  album.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  as  well  as  having  more  of  a  modern  approach  to  the  genre  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  A  decent  amount  of  breakdowns  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  of  the  songs  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion.

  Manhattan  Lovestory  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  brutal  and  modern  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Manhattan  Lovestory  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  and  brutal  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Manna  Hata"  "False  Existence"  and  "The  Manhattan  Project".  8  out  of  10.

Sodomic Baptism/Black Fire Pandemonium/Iron, Blood And Death Corporation/2017 CD Review

  Sodomic  Baptism  are  a  band  from  Belarus  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  satanic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Black  Fire  Pandemonium"  which  was  released  by  Iron,  Blood  And  Death  Corporation.

  Ritualistic  spoken  words  and  demonic  voices  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  using  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while t he  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  with  a  few  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style   and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  spoken  words  are  also  added  briefly  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  horror  movie  style  keyboards  and  clean  playing  can  be  heard  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,

  Sodomic  Baptism  plays  a  style  of  satanic  death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's while  also  adding  in  a  creativity  that  was  rarely  used  in  the  9's,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sodomic  Baptism  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  satanic  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Angel  Of  Death"  "Legion  Noctis"  and  "Rex  Stachus".  8  out  of  10.   

  

Asylum 8/Repressed/Inverse Records/2017 CD Review

  Asylum  8  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Repressed"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Inverse  Records.

  Industrial and  ebm  elements  start  off  the  album  while  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  as  well  as  some  power  metal  vocals  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  David  Hasselhoff's  "True  Survivor".

  Asylum  8  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  industrial,  ebm  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  with  a  touch  of  power  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Asylum  8  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Disarray"  "Passing"  and  "Deliverance".  8  out  of  10. 

  

Dehydrated/Resurrection/Immortal Souls Productions/2017 CD Review

  Dehydrated  are  a  band  from  Slovakia  that  plays  a  very  old  school  and  brutal  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Resurrection"  which  was  re;eased  by  Immortal  Souls  Productions.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  and  give  the  music  an  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  when  guitar  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  Some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  symphonic  elements  can  be  heard  on  a  track  and  they  also  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Massacre's  "Dawn  Of  Eternity"..

  Dehydrated  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  old  school  and  brutal  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  pathology,  gore,  and  human  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dehydrated  ate  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  and  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Don't  Laugh  Your  Dying"  and  "Dying  And  Asking".  8  out  of 10.

  

Jumpin Jesus/The Art Of Crucifying/Vic Records/2017 CD Re-Issue Review

  Jumpin  Jesus  where  a  band  from  Germany  that  played  a  traditional  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Art  Of  Crucifying"  which  will  be  re-issued  in  November  by  Vic  Records.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  small  amount  of  horror  movie  style  keyboards  before  going  into  more  of  a  darker  and  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  fashion  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  at  times  the  riffs  also  bring in  elements  of  thrash  which  is  also  mixed  in  some  of  the  vocals.

  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  onto  some  of  the  later  tracks  along  with whispers  also  being  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  songs  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Jumpin  Jesus  played  a  style  of  death  metal  that  was  very  different  for  the  time  it  was  released,  the  production  sounds  professional  for  a  recording  that  was  released  in  the  early  90's  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Jumpin  Jesus  where  a  very  great  sounding  traditional  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS INCLUDE  "Out  Of  The  Unknown"  "Cloning  The  Future"  "Important  Gain"  and  "Lost  Yourself".  8  out  of  10.  

Annihilation/The Undivided Wholeness Of All Things/Nice To Eat You Records/2017 CD Review

  Annihilation  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  brutal  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Undivided  Wholeness  Of  All  Things"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Nice  To  Eat  You  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  while the  music  also  has  a  very  modern  approach  to  the  genre  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  angry  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Annihilation  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  brutal  style  of  death  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  writings  of  David  Icke,  Omniverse,  and  Nagas  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Annihilation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  brutal  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Universal  Dismal  Collapse"  "Emptiness  Defiled"  and  "Nagas".  8  out  of  10.