Review Summary: ‘And So It Came To Pass’ should prove to turn the head of many a death metal enthusiast.
Whilst a number of the old guard continue to churn out quality releases, it is the new blood which ultimately need to deliver in order to prove that death metal can still excite as it did during the sustained creative deluge of the late eighties/early nineties. Dyscarnate hinted at greatness with their 2010 debut ‘Enduring The Massacre’, but have significant sharpened their craft with a rather mammoth follow up effort.
‘And So It Came To Pass’ impresses predominantly by a simple focus on song writing. Eschewing any needless technicality, tracks such as the weighty ‘Cain Enable’ and album highlight ‘The Promethean’ nail down pummelling grooves and colossal hooks which, although retaining a furious blood soaked intensity, in there uncluttered approach become refreshingly memorable and, just as importantly, joyously violent with their unpretentious barbarity.
Yet, this is not to say that the band lacks ability. Indeed, the musicianship throughout remains consistently stellar, as the guitars switch between razor sharp tremolo picking and rapid fire chord progressions, locked in with a drumming performance which blasts and grooves in equal measure. Also of note is a particularly savage vocal delivery, with the dual assault of some high pitched shrieks and a vicious guttural roar, especially apparent on mid - tempo bruiser ‘A Drone In The Hive’, generating an undoubtedly vehement air.
‘And So It Came To Pass’ should prove to turn the head of many a death metal enthusiast. Intensely ruthless and undeniably arresting, Dyscarnate have welcomley delivered an album with the ability to truly enamour the listener, without the need to employ the showboating crutch that so many modern extreme metal outfits rely upon. Stirring stuff.
