Review Summary: As hinted by the band name, Terrorust like to give a little twist to everything.
The word "summit" is used to described a determined existence, but whether we fathom to see its definition all depends on the circumstances. Mathematically it may be a concrete value, but elsewhere, in the world of unknown boundaries, it is an abstraction on which several of the worlds endeavors impose a definition. However, as time progresses, so do the forces of our unique milky way that allow us to break the barriers. As these barriers fall, new ones are erected even further from what our confining state of mind can imagine. What is known as the summit will never dawn on the human consciousness, but those who have succeeded in going beyond and created something from “outside the box” are reasons for the development of our society.
The name
Terrorust, a witty play off of the word terrorist, will indubitably ring a bell for very few. Whether they have reached the summit of playing extreme Death Metal is really a question of cognition and an experienced ear, nonetheless, it is safe to say that what they have created is something very intriguing, which will definitely set the next mark for brutal death metal bands to follow. When it comes to the speed they put forth, I am sure many death metal bands will be recognized for dragging the more classic roots of the genre back; therefore
Terrorust will always be one of a kind in striving to achieve the pinnacle of the velocity at which the human imagination allows them to play. Emerging from Melbourne, Australia, the band has remained fairly underground and cut their first act of fame,
Post Mortal Archives, which shows a ray of hope that they have a long career path ahead of them to prove their worthiness. I must say, hands down, this path has started off extremely well, especially for a first album; given their extreme musical potential displayed on this first album. The genre is quite straightforward, god forbid someone call their music black metal, leaving me in a state of speculation over their possible influences. Consisting of former members of “Damaged”,
Terrorust combine a Thrash style with brutal Death to create some of the most ferocious and in-your-face music you will find on this planet.
On a personal note, I’ve had many “Heavy Metal’s” and “How can you listen to this kind of music?” thrown at me through the course of my quotidian conversations, which is why I now reluctantly avoid giving up my musical refuge. It seems any thing with Metal in it seems to be “Heavy” (double-meaning for the win) and anything overly noisy and perplex is unapproachable. Call me a 12-year old concentration camp escapee dude, but the thought that I possess such an extreme album makes me happy in my pants sometimes.
Terrorust is a chance to break away, and it has been kind of a comfort zone, defining human madness as I indulgently reciprocate the ear-splitting brutality.
A few months back, my friend first showed me one of their songs
The New Catholican which I apathetically turned down. I wasn’t impressed by the exaggeration, and the fact that the band tried way too hard, which at the time I thought was the case. My friend was always looking for newer and more intense music, but back then, I wasn’t and stuck to what I thought was the most intense and unique music back then, Killswitch Engage (or at least that’s what I recollect). Some time later, I gave it another listen, and I loved it. It strained my neck everytime, and the harmony between the voice of James Ludbrook and his fellow team was simply something that gave me goosebumps.
Terrorust manage to retain a very crisp yet thin texture, allowing flexibility for very contrasting and swift riffs. The whole feel is non-epic and overly brutal, and what they manage to create instrumentally is awe-inspiring, imposing itself almost like the needle that breaks a dream bubble; making you feel as if struck by a lightning-speed Chuck Norris roundhouse kick. Many will be take aback by the way in which the band loses control, but how it all boils down to being very stimulated and well handled. Everything is almost perfectly contrived, although the bass is pretty much inaudible most of the time. However if I go back, I remember pointing out that the band plays a very thin and crispy musical style, and maybe you will see why the intervention of the bass could potentially take away from this. Something to think about.
The vocals are the highlight of the whole album; imagine the lead singer from “System of a Down” in Death Metal form; growling and screeching like mad with a high but muffled voice. Take that as you will. But I must tug on my right testicle and realize that many will be turned off by the description. I will just tell you, they're really enthralling, it just takes getting used to. With amazing versatility, the vocals and the instrumental assembly seem to be chasing each other around on the songs which are like battlefields of dominant riffs and brandishing lead complexes. Every note seems to be working along to a climax, the music never seems to give rest. Again the vocals are ineffable, but I am obliged to fulfill my duties as a reviewer. Each low or high note growled metamorphoses into a form of perfection and separable entity. The trashy riffs are quite prominent, as well as the battering drums.
Illuminazi is one of the fastest song on the albums, immediately kicking in to show what
Terrorust has to offer. The vocals are intense and shadow the ear-bleeding riffs and brittle drums; going from a mid shout to a very high screech/scream. The album regains some form of stability when
The New Catholican comes in, and presents itself as undoubtedly one of the best songs on the album. It starts off with a cold and hollow sound accompanied by a buzz and monstrous whispers. Down-tuned, yet explosive thrashes introduce the vocals which then become very low growls. This song definitely shows great instrumental manipulation and a concrete intense groove and structure.
The band shows a great rearrangement of the stuff mentioned on the first two tracks, and if you really give it time to digest, you will love the band just as I do. This is all that metal is about, it is not about appealing to a huge population of fans and investing in music that will make them popular. Last time I checked,
Terrorust never walked down the red carpet, but boy do they make great music. Too bad that all the songs are not as good as they could be though. An extended journey which will definitely get you in the loop on what is the extreme.
Key Tracks:
- Illuminazi
- The New Catholican
- For All Those Who Lied
- Gut the Worms
