Review Summary: The heaviest band ever is still taking names, showing bands who’s boss.
What does it take to earn the title “The Heaviest Band of All Time”? Speed? Groove? Dirty productions? It seems to be all of the above, and historical relevance. You’ve most likely heard the same story tenfold; Devourment flipped brutal death metal on its head with their 1999 debut. But what's interesting is how they hold up in their later years, starting with Unleash the Carnivore.
One aspect I do appreciate about Devourment is that they never really chased the success of their biggest album, and they continue that here. They speed things up, with less emphasis on ultra slow breakdowns, and mostly throwing slam riffs in with the speed. Even the breakdowns are a lot more up-tempo than before. This all culminates to it having a very bouncy feel, like it’s more for moshing than headbanging to.
It’s clear that the band wanted to do a 180 on their signature “filthy production” style, with rerecording Butcher the Weak. Unleash keeps this same mindset, and honestly, it doesn't take away from their bludgeoning brutality. A big plus with this new production is the drumming. Even with a new drummer named Eric Parks, he not only kills it, but the production enhances his performance. It feels just spacious and echo-y enough to have a lot of presence.
Sure, this album still has early Devourment DNA all over it, yet I can’t help but think that they lose some of their identity with this gradual change of pace. While it's on, it’s very fun. But after the fact I can barely remember a breakdown, which is unlike my relationship with their previous two albums. I still respect them for trying out something new while still keeping their core audience, it just feels less like… well, Devourment.
But they still do what they do best here: absolute riff mayhem. The lunacy is toned down and made a lot more audible as a result. And for the better or worse, it's more accessible for the less initiated BDM fan. But as a huge fan of this band, I’m not gonna kid myself. The band still has it, and knows how to get the crowd moving down to a science.
