Beneath the Massacre Dystopia
Prosthetic Records 28 October 2008
By Jason Jordan
The replay value of Beneath the Massacres Prosthetic full-length Mechanics of Dysfunction isnt high, but sometimes all I want in the moment is a brutal, technical album, which is exactly what I got. And its no surprise that their sophomore outing Dystopia is in the exact same vein, though armed with a few minor improvements. One, the production is a little better. Two, the vocals are a tad more leveling. Even so, experienced listeners will settle right in for another equally crippling yet emotion-free installment.
Because this young quartet hail from Canada, which is known for its technically-inclined death metal, one might wonder if this foursome are able to hold their own against the likes of Cryptopsy, Despised Icon, Ion Dissonance, Martyr, Neuraxis, and approximately a billion others. The answer is yes. Still, a chief complaint of this subgenre is that there are more imitators than innovators. Concerning originality, I think of Anata and Sickening Horror when it comes to modern tech death thats setting itself apart from the pack. Another complaint is that this styles inherent speediness and stop/start nature doesnt allow one to enjoy the riffs for too long before the band move on to others. Ill concede that.
Anyhow, Dystopia wastes no time delving into Condemned, a familiar-sounding tune, and its impossible to resist the thunderous hammering that the 0:36 minute marks brings. Naturally the remainder ushers in intricate musicianship, which is especially reminiscent of Necrophagist in the guitar department. The complexity is surely the bands selling point, or one of them at least, and the subsequent songs dont disappoint in that regard. What I appreciate about Beneath the Massacre, however, is their ability to provide a catchy, spellbinding section out of nowhere2:45-3:00 of Reign of Terror, 0:42-59 of The Wasteland, the closing seconds of Procreating the Infection, and more. Most of this may go by in a blur, but enjoy the ride while it lasts.
The only thing to be aware of is that there was evidently a snafu that left track nine Tharsis off the track list and out of the liner notes, so there are technically (no pun intended) eleven songs instead of the listed ten. Plus the cover art for Dystopia resembles that of Cephalic Carnages Xenosapien. Coincidence? I think not.
Official Beneath the Massacre Website
Official Beneath the Massacre MySpace
Official Prosthetic Records Website
Prosthetic Records 28 October 2008
By Jason Jordan
The replay value of Beneath the Massacres Prosthetic full-length Mechanics of Dysfunction isnt high, but sometimes all I want in the moment is a brutal, technical album, which is exactly what I got. And its no surprise that their sophomore outing Dystopia is in the exact same vein, though armed with a few minor improvements. One, the production is a little better. Two, the vocals are a tad more leveling. Even so, experienced listeners will settle right in for another equally crippling yet emotion-free installment.
Because this young quartet hail from Canada, which is known for its technically-inclined death metal, one might wonder if this foursome are able to hold their own against the likes of Cryptopsy, Despised Icon, Ion Dissonance, Martyr, Neuraxis, and approximately a billion others. The answer is yes. Still, a chief complaint of this subgenre is that there are more imitators than innovators. Concerning originality, I think of Anata and Sickening Horror when it comes to modern tech death thats setting itself apart from the pack. Another complaint is that this styles inherent speediness and stop/start nature doesnt allow one to enjoy the riffs for too long before the band move on to others. Ill concede that.
Anyhow, Dystopia wastes no time delving into Condemned, a familiar-sounding tune, and its impossible to resist the thunderous hammering that the 0:36 minute marks brings. Naturally the remainder ushers in intricate musicianship, which is especially reminiscent of Necrophagist in the guitar department. The complexity is surely the bands selling point, or one of them at least, and the subsequent songs dont disappoint in that regard. What I appreciate about Beneath the Massacre, however, is their ability to provide a catchy, spellbinding section out of nowhere2:45-3:00 of Reign of Terror, 0:42-59 of The Wasteland, the closing seconds of Procreating the Infection, and more. Most of this may go by in a blur, but enjoy the ride while it lasts.
The only thing to be aware of is that there was evidently a snafu that left track nine Tharsis off the track list and out of the liner notes, so there are technically (no pun intended) eleven songs instead of the listed ten. Plus the cover art for Dystopia resembles that of Cephalic Carnages Xenosapien. Coincidence? I think not.
Official Beneath the Massacre Website
Official Beneath the Massacre MySpace
Official Prosthetic Records Website
