Review Summary: Old School Meets New School
Italy is a nation of equality, independence, and political prowess. At one point, Italy even housed the capital of the Roman Empire, the largest empire in the world. Few countries are injected with as much history and culture. Known for mouth-watering cuisine, fine art, exquisite cinema, and some of the most outstanding architecture in the world; annually Italy attracts 43.7 million visitors worldwide. Italy also births (Or Vomits) one of the heaviest acts in modern death metal, Vomit the Soul.
On first listen, it’s clear that Vomit the Soul has a thing for the more brutal side of Death Metal. This fixation is made apparent on this 8 track behemoth of a record, “Apostles of Inexpression.” Does VTS let up at any point; the answer is an indefinite no? Does it appear that they make an effort to cater to the faint of heart or weak-minded? The answer is also, no.
What VTS does do well, be it deliberately or accidental is craft a sound so vile, so odious, and so despicable that it takes repeated listens to appreciate the band’s intent. A sound so sadistic and cruel in nature will makes you sick to your stomach. One may start to question their humanity. It has left me and others in complete disgust with themselves, but to my surprise a part of me finds pleasure in such a twisted art form. Such a sound so straightforward and void of any melody can easily fall prey to being generic, but it just doesn’t.
Vocalist, Max delivers a performance so repulsive that it can only be described as “nasty.” To no one’s surprise his gutturals, the most noteworthy aspect of his performance do in fact sound like he’s “vomiting souls.” Similar to Suffocation’s Frank Mullin in execution, Max has a more impressive array at his disposal. His lows have an almost “organic,” feel, dynamic and full of life. His pig squeals are among the best I’ve ever heard, “Overcrowd” being a perfect example of said squeals. Changing pitch on a dime, his control is most astounding. His lows chug along and his highs shriek right along the careening guitar riffs. It’s safe to say that he has a fairly “technical” vocal performance.
Musically, VTS is what you’d expect. But, that’s not exactly a bad thing. VTS takes many of the techniques we’ve heard before, and executes them in interesting ways. The title track is an all too perfect illustration of this. Alone the riffs aren’t overly technical; but the song arrangements make up for this by having that “spontaneous” yet structured feel. The bass on this track though very simple, gives the last part of this track a more “complete” sound. The drums, like the other instruments on this album aren’t insanely technical, but they do their job well. They follow that same “spur-of-the-moment” structure that the guitars follow. Many albums are overshadowed by their title track; VTS on the other hand maintains this same level of creativity throughout.
If you’re looking for a take no prisoners listening experience with heavy emphasis on aggression you’ve come to the right place. If you’re looking for soaring melodies and solos, this isn’t the album for you, this album has almost none. Apostles of Inexpression is best described as a celebration of all things heavy, with a modern twist. Fans of old school death metal acts such as Suffocation and Cryptopsy will appreciate this album’s sound. Fans of the new will welcome the crisp production and fresh sound. Merging old with new VTS crafts an exceptionally pleasant listening experience.
