"Unmatched Heaviness" - so it says on the CD. While I would disagree with that statement, this New York crew delivered a solid slab of mosh pit-friendly death metal. The band comes from that Suffocation line of New York bands, except that their present sound is quite razor-sharp and refined. There is nothing ground breaking on this album, although the band attempts to expand its boundaries (acoustic guitar on "Rage"), but everything is well crafted and executed and adorned with crystal-clear production. While songs such as "Rage," "Falling Down," "Slave Soul," and the title track could be called highlights, the band don't compromise a iota of their brutality, so there isn't much room for variety. But that's death metal for you; if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Apparently, I couldn't, since I got bored half way through the album, but the band's fans will not be disappointed.

This album will not break Internal Bleeding into the top position in the death metal hierarchy, but it will provide a listener with an unflinching, pertinacious, NY-style brutality. Nothing more, nothing less. Interesting thing about the record is that instead of printing their thank list on the inside sleeve, the band chose to include its audio version, which is hidden at the end of the CD, and where each band member personally reads the names of people he wanted to acknowledge.

© 1999 boris