Review Summary: Dem riffs.
Hailing from the dark and desolate parts of Seattle, Washington, Drawn and Quartered are a band that seem to fly under the radar a little bit in terms of death metal. If you're a newcomer to the genre, it's doubtful that you've ever heard of them considering they're not nearly as big as acts from the U.S. such as Incantation, Autopsy, or, the one band they're extremely similar to, Immolation. Well, hopefully that is about to change after I introduce some of you to Drawn and Quartered.
Like I said, they're very similar in style to Immolation, which may be why they don't get as much attention. You could say they're a "clone", but honestly, what the hell is wrong with being a "clone" of one of the best death metal bands in existence? I mean, they're just as evil and just as relentless, so I really can't see an issue. The best part about this album is the production. It keeps the feeling of old-school death metal without having the muddy production that it's known for. Production here is clear and nothing drowns anything else out. The use of pinch harmonics, again like Immolation, is very prominent here, making it a lot more brutal than some of their other contemporaries. If you're a fan of production on albums like Close to a World Below, then you'll love
Hail Infernal Darkness.
This album is definitely on the brutal and technical side of the spectrum and there's not much melody to be found here, but that doesn't mean it can't be catchy. Technical and mesmerizing riffs is what this album is all about, not to mention some fantastic solos throughout. Drumming is also a very big highlight here and is what you would expect from an album like this, full of blast beats and double bass. As for the vocals, they're nothing out of the ordinary. Again, you could refer to Immolation considering the vocalist here sounds a hell of a lot like Ross, which isn't a bad thing at all.
There's really not too much to say except that this album slays hard and more people should check it out. As I said earlier, this band seems to fly way under the radar and that really needs to change. This album/band is worth your time if you're a fan of OSDM, tech death, brutal death, and everything in between.
