Review Summary: Less the barren wasteland. Still not much in sight.
Sometimes you just need a hefty slab of death metal to get you through the first quarter of the year. Whether it’s the old-school resurgence, the flamboyant mastery of tech-death or the cookie cutter approach of Cannibal Corpse emulators, there comes an album that simply ticks the right boxes without overstaying its welcome. “Last Echoes of Life” is the abrasive forward fist to the group’s debut full-length. The opening roar and blast of Aleski Huta crafts a foundation rooted in death metal’s heyday. While most fans of the genre can bear the fact that innovation is far and in between there’s album’s like
Revulsion that buck the trend, not even attempting to reach the lofty heights, or rather, dizzying depths modern death metal can offer. Sure, the music is an affront, bludgeoning its way from spiraling riff to hammer fisted groove - but it’s this Morbid Angel meets Cannibal Corpse accessibility that takes the very vintage of death metal’s roots and molds them into a very acceptable, safe and approachable album. That is, if you enjoy getting thoroughly smacked with winding death metal riffs, occasional Corpsegrinder-esque vocals and barreling blasted percussion.
The album’s trend continues within “Pyre”, where surging riffs carve dissonance into physical being. While not completely revolutionary (who are we kidding?), the Vader like consistency in style speaks volumes of a band who sound like they’re anything but launching their debut album. In places, the thick, beastly riffery is replaced by winding minor melodies. This is mostly seen in the doomier, latent “Mustaa Hiiltä” which acts as a spacer between the more ‘traditional’ output of death metal this record shows in spades.
By the time
Revulsion gets to its latter half, the record’s a-typical death metal approach is in full swing. A shorter barrage in “Wastelands” doesn’t build on the album’s formula, but still hits like a brick to the spine. Again Aleski makes the most of his guttural roars, often resorting to the even phrasing that builds upon an already thick soundscape. It makes Revulsion’s debut a touch more predictable, safe and meandering, rather than experimental - to which the Finnish band have obviously dismissed as unnecessary. In the string department, Jarkko Viitasalo and Jari Toppinen hone their craft. A lot of the band’s back bone comes from these burly riffsters. What the record largely lacks in leads and solos is well made up in onslaught after onslaught of Dying Fetus and Cannibal Corpse love-child rhythms.
Revulsion finishes with a short and long ‘one-two’ punch of “Pawns” and “Viimeinen Rituaali”. While the former launches into a tirade of death metal staples it’s the closer (and longest track) that helps show some variance. The track itself is less direct than its counterparts, exploring more of those lunging rhythms and climbing vocal phrases. While “Viimeinen Rituaali” is less immediate, it’s actually one of the record’s better developed tracks. Most fans will gravitate towards the debut’s opening sections, but it’s here that the sophomore should find its foundation.
Overall there’s a lot to take away from Revulsion’s debut. Sure, there’s a simplicity to be found here, but there’s also room for growth, some of that exploration that’s just waiting in the wings. Revulsion sounds like veterans of their craft and their self-titled shows much promise. Despite some shortcomings in the cookie cutter, influence borrowing style of music they play, the Finnish five piece have unleashed a record well worth a few repeated listens, but it’s unlikely they’ll receive any ‘best of’ accolades at the end of the year.
