![to descend – mindless birth [ep]](https://www.vm-underground.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/To-Descend-Mindless-Birth-EP-Cover.jpg "To Descend – Mindless Birth [EP]")
Info
- Band(s): To Descend
- Label(s): Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
- Release Format(s): CD, EP
- Release Year: 2023
- Review Date: June 7, 2023
- Author(s): Ben Schultz
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions have teamed up with the monsterous Death machine, To Descend, to release the, new in 2023, EP ‘Mindless Birth’. ‘Mindless Birth’ just so happens to be To Descend’s second EP, the first being their debut in 2018, ‘People Of The Abyss’, and their third release over all, with the 2021 full-length, ‘Exorcism Of Hope’, being their sophomore release. Now, those first two releases were really damn good and all but as you know they always say; “Third times a charm”. But is it really? Does that old saying really work when it comes to To Descend’s sleek version of Old School Death Metal? Let’s find out.
For those who are in the know with To Descend’s music know about what to expect from this band and for surely they will not be disappointed. And for those who do not know what to expect, don’t worry, I will tell you. What you can expect is a base sound found to be rooted in a combination of classic (i.e. Old School) European and classic (see last i.e.) American Death Metal with a slick, clean (think modern Cannibal Corpse) production. Almost like a cohesive combination of Asphyx and Massacre with the clearest, richest production either of those bands have seen.
But that is not to say that there are no differences in this new offering compared to the last couple. No, for there are some things that are a bit, not majorly different and those things make the proceedings just that much better overall. And the biggest noticeable difference that there is seems to be an overall uptick in the quality of songwriting, a little more attention to catchiness, and a cohesiveness of the work as a whole. Now, the members of To Descend are no slouches and have been around, in various acts, for a good long while but there is just something more complete, confident and refined on ‘Mindless Birth’ than there has before, and that is honestly saying a lot.
And with that being said, that is pretty much exactly what To Descend’s ‘Mindless Birth’ EP is. Five tracks of groov-y, headbangable, crushing Death, an amalgamation of international Old School Death Metal that sounds really damn good. I, for one, normally like more grit on my Death but there are times, like now, that the cleaner feel works really damn well.
This EP slays. I mean, come on, how can you argue with thirteen minutes of really fucking good Death Metal that hits on the goodness of the heavy and fun of the groove. Horns held high to the sky for this one.
