Deeds of Flesh - Inbreeding the Anthropophagi
Review: Mocking and mirroring the schizophrenic approach of a society of deceptive objectivity overlaid on a complex system of natural processes and balances, the riff-salad songs of Deeds of Flesh assemble intricacy from the underlying connections of sublime structures within a barrage of ever-changing rhythm and variations of associated musical components. The most extraordinary fusion of this release is the integration of the styles of death metal that emerged after conventional songwriting, involving an interplay between vocal cadence and seemingly erratic staccato variance rhythms, with the ambitious outlay of rhythmic fluidity that marked early 1980s death metal. As clearly as one hears Suffocation in this release one hears also the influence of works by Slayer and Death.
Where vocals in death metal contribute, they become significant in the development of song structure and theory, which in the case of Deeds of Flesh is a definitive addition to the craft exhibited by their ever-shifting mosaic of riffage. Guttural booms interlaced with high-end shrieking institute both foreshadowing of rhythm and melodic integration with what elements of this highly atonal release can be described as melodic: structure based on the continuance of tonal development rather than harmonic layering. And of course the feast of endurance drumming we have come to expect is here, augmented by a delight in precision highlights with high hat and cymbals that invokes multiple traditions throughout metal and grindcore.
Although at first approach a seemingly incomprehensible barrage of divergent riffs, this music evolves in listener understanding as it is memorized so that the individual voices behind each viewpoint in a collection of fragmented riffs can speak. There is a thundering buffeting assault, a mocking light and savage ballet touch, and a gleeful, lifelike voice that speak from the sonic collage as well as the traditions and theories of death metal integrated in a wide range of structures. Instrumentalism is much improved over previous releases, and with a newer understanding of the complexity they wield and its simplicity in juncture, Deeds of Flesh stand poised to contribute significant epics to the death metal world.