Info
- Band(s): Severe Torture
- Label(s): Earache Records
- Release Format(s): CD
- Release Year: 2005
- Review Date: November 3, 2005
- Author(s): DannyB
From in-the-picture to more in the back ground. From 65 shows in 2002 to 18 shows in the last three years. That’s Severe Torture. Why? Simple. They had some troubles with their previous label and almost every offered tour was cancelled at the last minute. Quite the bummer and quite the bringer-downer. These two things caused the band to feel less motivated. Less motivated to do shows and less motivated to write new material.
But then something happened. They found a new fifth member (for as you might know, Severe Torture started out as a five piece band). Marvin from Blo.Torch joined the ranks, and this had a positive effect on the band. Even so, the band negotiated themselves out of the deal with Hammerheart, which opened new doors. One of these doors was the record deal with Earache. So now that everything is back on it’s feet, it’s ’bout time for a new album goddammit! And here it is: Severe torture’s third album entitled ‘Fall Of The Despised’.
A new (and extra) guitar player usually means more abilities and new musical influences. And that’s what you’ll hear a lot on this third album. As you know Severe Torture is a brutal US-styled death metal band with an own sound, sort of speak. This is still very much the deal, yet they’ve broadened their musical boundaries quite a bit. There are a few real ear-catchers that I’ll highlight for you.
First off, the band has slowed down. Not that the speed level went down, but they included way, way more slowed down, dragging and bombastic parts in their songs, giving the album a more natural threatening sphere, but also securing the fact that this is Severe Torture’s most diverse album (pace-wise) up to date. The track ‘Enshrined In Madness’ is a dark and dragging neck breaker, a bit Morbid Angel-like and entirely (!) played at slow pace, that puts down an uncanny and pure death metal vibe. Throughout the album there are more of these moments. Never lasting an entire track, but weaved through the songs in a convenient way. Four of the nine tracks (not counting the instrumental “Fall Of The Despised”) start off slow, but don’t let that fool you.
Second are Dennis’ vocals. On their live album we already heard him do Patrick Mameli-like vocals, and apparently that felt really well, as on ‘Fall Of The Despised’ you’ll hear it more than twice. It sounds good and adds a bit of drama to the music at certain moments.
Third is the music itself. The riffs (and basically the music in general) when in blast-mode can sound somewhat more open to a bigger audience than before. Not the entire time of course, as most still sounds raw and blunt like before (the Severe-sound) but there are times when I’m thinking that the music (consciously) stepped away from just straight forward brutal death metal and added some ‘less destructive’ riffs to the mix (in this context it’s meant positive, for all who think differently). Brutality still is the imminent main course, as well as the technical approach of writing songs and instrument handling.
Fourth, not to forget, is that now you’ll also hear guitar solo’s every now and then. Mostly melodic or dramatic/misanthropic, giving an extra dimension to the music. Good to hear and very suiting if you’d ask me.
So here you have four important changes/additions to Severe Torture’s music. And how is sounds as an album’ Let’s state that I’m not disappointed at all. The music sounds brutal as before, only with new impulses. The way the songs are written and listening to the path Severe torture is now walking I can only compliment them and shout ‘keep on going!’. The songs are written better than before, more mature and more diverse and still sound like Severe Torture. Instead of just blasting away there’s more room to breathe on this album. There’s also more room for musical creativity and diversity and with this album genuine vibes are laid down for you, much more than on their previous two albums. This all adds up to a serious and deviate death metal release! I do have to say that at times there were some (obvious) comparisons to Cannibal Corpse, but it’s still definitely Severe Torture that you’re listening to. Their sound, the way of playing, the precise bombing tightness’ you’ll recognize it. Speaking of which, after a few times listening these songs will eat itself a way into your brain, not leaving it anymore.
Telling you that the production is done quite good (could’ve used some more details on the bass though) I can only say that if you’re into pure death metal that takes it a step further and brings you a couple of killer songs, ‘Fall Of the Despised’ is definitely the album for you! It’s time for your Severe Torture!
Severe Torture
- Country: Netherlands
- Style: Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify, Youtube
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Earache Records
- Country: United Kingdom
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Grindcore, Thrash Metal, Other
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Youtube
