Review Summary: A vast, and welcome, progression.
If there’s one band from the new breed of death metal acts that has split opinion amongst metal fans, it is Annotations of an Autopsy. Their self assured attitude and claims to be the ‘conquerors of British death metal’ has been deemed by many to be merely undeserved cockiness, with purists arguing their music is nothing but rehashed breakdowns and terrible pig squeals. Yet their debut album ‘Before the Throne of Infection’ was widely lauded in the music press as a ferocious slab of modern death metal. Pledging allegiance to death metals old school and declaring ‘This new album will ink AOAA into history and beat doubters senseless’, has ‘II: The Reign of Darkness’ done enough to convert the dissenters?
Well, even if it hasn’t, there is definitely a marked improvement to AOAA’s sound. As the ominous intro track explodes into the Suffocation - worship of ‘In Snakes I Bathe’, it is clear that the band are wearing their influences on their sleeve, with the vocals of lead singer Steve Reagan now adopting a more traditional, guttural delivery akin to Frank Mullen or Glen Benton. The lyrics, although in places still mediocre ( one example being the clichéd repeated cry of ‘I am pure ***ing hate’ which plagues ‘In Snakes I Bathe’), certainly are a far cry from the misogamist descriptions of murder and sexual torture that turned off many from ’BTTOI’. Although it cannot be said that the lyrics are exceptional, the inclusion of a cohesive concept (the degeneration of mankind, the apocalypse etc, etc) shows a maturity that has certainly been previously lacking.
The guitar players are undoubtedly competent, and TROD contains a number of guitar highlights. The lurching Morbid Angel- esque groove of ‘Impale The Sun’ and the main riff to ‘Emptiness’ show a welcome deviation from the standard tremolo picked guitar lines that sadly take up too much room throughout the album. But, the inclusion of some superbly melodic solos really add a ethereal quality to the songs, providing a brief respite from the sonic brutality The reverb heavy guitar tone brings to mind a vastly reigned in Trey Azagthoth. Breakdowns are far less prominent than previously, and when featured are implemented rather well, the ending of ‘In Snakes I Bathe’ being particularly monstrous in its execution.
The albums drumming is fantastic, with the typical death metal fare of blast beats, double bass and lightning fills carried out perfectly. ‘Into The Black Slumber’ would be the discs drumming high point, coming complete with a nifty drum solo.
All in all, AOAA have crafted a death metal album that establishes them as genuine force in modern extreme metal. An evident progression (ironically by emphasising their old school influences) in terms of musicianship and more importantly, song writing, means that, stubborn purists aside, death metal fans may have to re-evaluate the validity of a capable outfit doing much to prove wrong those that have already (and perhaps unjustly) written them off as one of the most incompetent bands in the scene.
