This Ending - Garden of Death

Artist: This Ending
Release Title: Garden of Death
Year: 2016
Label: Apostasy Records
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Torrent of Souls
2. Blackened Shrine
3. Boundaries of Hell
4. Dark Samaritan
5. Garden of Death
6. Victims
7. World of Nightmares
8. Chaos Within
9. Vultures

From their formation in 2006, Swedish melodic death metallers This Ending have carried on the style and sound from their previous incarnation, the defunct A Canorous Quintet, by blending a tougher death metal style with strong melodic lead-work. With long-time members in guitarist Leon Pignon and bassist Jesper Löfgren being replaced by Peter Nagy and Linus Petersson respectively in the years between releases, the bands’ third full-length is released on new label Apostasy Records on April 22, 2016.

As was the case when the band first started, this one here is all about the fact that the band doesn’t go in for the usual melodic death metal routine of light, poppy rhythms overlaid with gruff vocals and then capped off with melodic leads. The melodic lead-work is still present, but this one here is all about the album’s driving backbone here featuring a driving and hard-hitting series of deep, churning rhythms that are much more traditionally-based in primitive thrashy death metal. This energetic series of rousing rhythms is given a heavier, far more energetic series of tempos as the tight, buzzing riffing is far heavier than what would normally be presented while this still enables plenty of melodic rhythms. The traditional sense here is in full-effect where it’s all about the deep, swirling melodic runs that are presented here which are just absolutely memorable and hummable at the same time as well as featuring the kind of charging atmosphere presented in the remaining sections makes this quite and wholly enjoyable and impressive attack for the most part. Though this attack is quite impressive and enjoyable for the most part, what really holds it up is the rather stumbling nature it’s more melodic rhythms interject with the heavier-hitting patterns. Though initially they’re quite well-meaning, this one tends to drop off the pace considerably in many areas of the tracks to generate a more traditional melody rather than working it into the heavier charge that was working quite well for them. It worked incredibly well when it combined the two, and moving into the other direction didn’t really come off all that well, and is really the main thing holding this one back.

As it’s not quite all that bad here and really only stumbles quite rarely, this is a quite enjoyable and rousing blend of stylish melodic death metal that has enough positive points to overcome the flaws and makes for a worthy addition to any fan of the style or those that enjoy the band’s past catalog or the earlier incarnation of the group.

Score: 85/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://thisendingswe.bandcamp.com/

Embedded - Bloodgeoning

Band: Embedded
Release Title: Bloodgeoning
Label: Apostasy Records
Year: 2016
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Tracklist:
1. Quadruple Corpse Horror
2. Murder-Suicide
3. Cleansed by Fire
4. Dawn of My Being
5. Edenblaze
6. Grinding the Bones
7. Time Has Come
8. Bowed

The fourth full-length from German brutal death metallers Embedded showcases this institution is still going strong offering this dynamic, beefy slab of brutal death. Offering the kind of tight, blazing riff-work full of frenetic, intense rhythms and scorching patterns, there’s a wickedly brutal air throughout the tracks here that offers up far more brutality with the use of the full-throttle tempo they’re played at. Running razor-wire style riffing and tight, blasting drumming at these speeds makes for quite an overall enjoyable time here getting the music to this kind of dexterous, twisting riffing done at this kind of full-throttle style that gives way to plenty of truly frantically-placed brutal death metal rhythms that contain plenty of howling patterns and rhythms that makes this far more old-school sounding than would be expected. This creates such a fine overall sense of fun here in the mixing of utterly brutal, pummeling rhythms alongside the more enjoyable old-school production style. Overall the album isn’t really all about the kind of experimentation or diversity that usually finds itself in the genre, as the band does tend to whip through basically one mind-set from start to finish here. The pummeling attacks and furious riffing that continually goes through each of the tracks here doesn’t really offer a whole lot of differences here between each of the songs as there’s an alarming singular-style arrangement. This one just plows ahead here without really varying up the arrangements or paces throughout this one, as while it does offer forth a strong volley of riffs there’s not a strong sense of variety that comes along, The straight-forward blasting doesn’t really offer up the room to do this anyway and that keeps the album feeling redundant at times with the deeper this goes, but it’s still only a minor fault to be found here.

The first half here makes for a strong impression overall. Opener ‘Quadruple Corpse Horror’ features utterly blistering drumming and twisting technical rhythms through the bouncy riff-work blasting along with plenty of savage drumming patterns carrying the dynamic paces with blistering riff-work and thumping patterns full of heavy, dynamic swirling riffs into the final half for an impressive opening blast. ‘Murder-Suicide’ uses a blistering series of rumbling riff-work and frantic drumming to carry through the tight series of razor-wire rhythms keeping a tight, steady mid-tempo pace featuring the frantic drumming blasts alongside the steady rumbling thump from the buzzing riff-work into the finale for another dynamic offering. ‘Cleansed by Fire’ features a slow-burning intro with dynamic riff-work and steady drumming slowly firing through tight, furious rhythms and dynamic blasting drumming thumping along at frantic tempos with the steady intense riffing holding the brutal patterns on throughout the final half for an immaculate highlight. ‘Dawn of My Being’ features tight, furious rhythms blazing along at a high series of intense patterns carrying the steady up-tempo riffing along with the frantic blasting drumming and thumping rhythms carrying the full-on intensity from the rumbling rhythms carrying along through the blasting finale for another utterly strong effort.

The second half here does have a lot of enjoyable parts to it as well. ‘Edenblaze’ rumbles along with steady mid-tempo rhythms on through the steady mid-tempo riffing before exploding with the frantic drumming into the furious razor-wire patterns blistering along with the tight, furious blasting coming along through the up-tempo rumbling full of punishing riff-work alongside the dynamic drumming through the final half for another strong highlight. ‘Grinding the Bones’ starts with ravenous razor-wire riffing rumbling along with plenty of tight, frantic blasting with a steady series of intense mid-tempo riff-work twisting along with the dynamic drumming that picks up strongly with utterly furious and frantic pounding rhythms along through the finale for a tight, explosive effort. ‘Time Has Come’ opens with furious blasts and tight, frantic riffing with furious drumming blasting along with the dynamic riff-work blazing through technical patterns flowing with ravenous, twisting patterns alongside the thunderous drumming carrying along the mid-tempo patterns in the final half fora furious overall effort. Lastly, album-closer ‘Bowed’ uses an extended buzzing intro that propels into a series of tight, frantic riffing through blazing razor-wire patterns alongside the pounding drumming full of choppy technical patterns blasting away with the ravenous flowing riff-work through dizzying complex runs with the blazing drumming carrying the intense patterns through the fade-out finale for a grand lasting impression.

This here is such a furious and enjoyable piece of brutal death metal that it scores so well with a lot of it’s full-throttle fury on display here, and while it does come off rather one-dimensional there’s far worse examples of this style out there which makes this a choice pick for brutal death metal aficionados as well as those that enjoy the more old-school style at work.

Score: 91/100

Does it sound good? Order from here:
http://www.embedded-deathmetal.de/