Dying Fetus is a controversial Deathgrind band with politically charged lyrics and a tight, technical, and still heavy-as-hell sound. This is my first review, and also one of my favorite Death Metal bands, so I hope you enjoy.
The CD begins with Schematics. Eight seconds of an ominous whirring sound slides back and forth from left to right speaker. A screaming, fast-paced riff kicks off the aggressive start to an album that’s even more so. Then, at around the 30-second mark, the tempo slows down slightly, introducing lower, grinding guitars and double-bass drumming. The singer comes growling in not long after on the subject of humanity's overwhelming greed and vanity, and man’s relentless desire to become God. Meanwhile, choppy riffs and thundering percussion slice through the air. Around 2:45, the song almost comes to a stop with only the lead guitar and cymbals keeping a slow pace. This leads back into yet another great riff, and a brutal blast-beat continues until the final verse of the song.
Now that you’ve gotten a taste of their music, let me explain to you a little more about Dying Fetus’ style of Death Metal. It is a mix of Death and Grindcore, with unbelievably quick, thrashy riffs and drumming, along with alternating low, guttural growling and higher, throaty screaming. Their lyrics are far left-wing, dealing with issues like war, consumerism, and religion.
This album is well produced, and the songs are also well balanced, consisting of many different tempos and riffs, and also consists of different subject matter from track to track. The line-up for this 2003 album is as follows: John Gallagher on rhythm guitars and vocals, Mike Kimball on lead guitars, Sean Beasley on bass and backing vox, and Duane Timlin on drums.
One of the best tracks on the record is Forced Elimination. This song starts out slow, then builds up to a powerful blast-beat. The chorus is most definitely one to remember, employing both Gallagher and Beasley, alternating vocals. The bassist’s angry scream complements the lead singer’s low, almost bullfrog-like growl.
I particularly like the lyrics to the aforementioned chorus:
“Sleep, submit, obey, accept it
Nature rejected, culture forgotten
Dwell in their complacency
Drop your defenses, swallow their bull***
Close down all your doubtful dreams
They will not happen, you don't have it in you
Their emotions stripped away
The depth of man measured, proudly dismissed”
This album is an accurate representation of the band as a whole: An aggressive and even more abrasive hybrid of Death Metal and Grindcore. Although this album isn’t really breaking new ground within the genre, it’s still a record I’d recommend to a fan of any style of extreme metal, especially those familiar with either Death Metal or Grindcore.
Pros:
- Ultra-fast, blast-beats galore
- Varying song structure and tempos
- Above-average production quality
- Vocals that alternate from lower, croaking growls to higher-throat screams
Cons:
- Overall abrasiveness and absence of any clean vocals may deter listeners who are not Death Metal fans
- Relatively short album, containing only eight tracks and clocking in at just over 35 minutes
- Not for those who dislike blast-beats
- Band’s name likely to offend some people
Once again, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my first review. I encourage those who have to please comment and point out any errors, and to also give me any pointers that I might be able to use for my next.
- UnbornAgain
