Brutal/Slam Death Metal

Hmmm, news flash... All music is "rehashed" as it has generally speaking been around for millennia. Some do it with a bit of new thought, and we can enjoy the fresh approach in those instances. I'm thinking very big picture here gents.

on that note... I'm kinda feelin' the new suffocation. I still need more time to soak it in, but it seems like a fresh, almost thrashy feel. So far, it's a very pleasant surprise. Close to shock really, I had somewhat moved on from them in spite of EotF and PFW being my top two all time in the genre.
 
It does bring up a question of what "brutal" means, though. Is brutal just how fast and chaotic you can play (like old-school Disgorge) or how mosh worth your slams are (Devourment)? I love 'em both, and I like that some guys are bringing it down to mid-tempo range but others are really ramping up the chaos.

BTW, Guttural Secrete is, so far, AOTY for me. Nothing's touching that shit so far.
 
SomeGuyDude said:
It does bring up a question of what "brutal" means, though.
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I've thought about this too. 'Brutal' in metal means a lot of things and has so many meanings that at this point--as a musical descriptor--it isn't very helpful out of context.

Looking at Metal Archives, most death metal bands with wholly unintelligible vocals are labelled "brutal," but really, that's limiting and sometimes wrong.
Example: Vomit Remnants is "brutal" and Krisiun is not? The earlier is good groovy death metal with puke vocals, and the latter is often an unrelenting barrage of notes & hits.I like both bands, but to say Vomit Remnants is more "brutal" seems to go against what that word even means.
And albums by (brutal) Pathology (who I like a lot) are far more catchy and groovy than something by Hate Eternal, who are also described as "death metal," sans 'brutal.'

In metal, the word brutal is starting to lose its meaning.

Personally, I tend to describe music that ASSAULTS THE LISTENER as brutal, whether it's death metal or not--- 1349, Insect Warfare, The Kill, Krisiun, Wolf's Lair Abyss, Revenge, Axis of Advance, (Mexican) Disgorge, etc.
 
The Craniotomy album is FANTASTIC my favorite album thus far this year---in any genre---and is exactly what I want out of slam. Good tremolo riffs, tasteful creepy vocals, tons of memorable slam parts, and song arrangements that have real arrival moments/climaxes. Kind of mixes old school tremolo and grooved slam like Chordotomy, but with far superior slam riffs and less catchy tremolo stuff.

Best songs were not on youtube--
Vomiting bloody pieces of undigested body (quite anthemic in the main riff recapitulation)
Buried Alive
Executioners Volition (instant headbanging)
 
Brutal has two meanings: just calling whatever kicks your ass "brutal", and then "brutal" as in the death metal subgenre. Tech-death can be downright suffocating, but "brutal death metal" tends to be mid-tempo with a crossover into the slam region.

I believe in this case, it's using "brutal" almost like "primitive". The music is heavy in a neanderthal way, clubbing you over the skull as opposed to leaving you all dizzy in a whirlwind of technical proficiency. Some bands (Gorgasm) are definitely fast and frenetic, but the overall feel isn't the same as a band like Brain Drill or Hour of Penance.
 
Hour of Penance is the only tech-death I can stomach and jam to...That is specifically Paradogma and The Vile Conception....Cant get into any of their other material...
 
c_zar said:
The Craniotomy album is FANTASTIC my favorite album thus far this year---in any genre---and is exactly what I want out of slam. Good tremolo riffs, tasteful creepy vocals, tons of memorable slam parts, and song arrangements that have real arrival moments/climaxes. Kind of mixes old school tremolo and grooved slam like Chordotomy, but with far superior slam riffs and less catchy tremolo stuff.

Best songs were not on youtube--
Vomiting bloody pieces of undigested body (quite anthemic in the main riff recapitulation)
Buried Alive
Executioners Volition (instant headbanging)
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Your welcome I guess :lol:

I don't see why SomeGuyDude didn't like it, it has some really catchy riffs.
 
EffigyForgotten said:
Your welcome I guess :lol:

I don't see why SomeGuyDude didn't like it, it has some really catchy riffs.
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Yes thanks for the recommendation!

Catchy riffs, and also really, really, really good arrangements that often rework the very best ideas. And also tasteful/restrained vocals, which is somewhat rare in this style (I tend to find too many bands smother their music with endless singing). Craniotomy lets the riffs really breathe here, which I dig. Really well done. Right up there with my top slam favorites (currently: Sermon of Mockery, Post Mortal Coital Fixation, Awaken to the Suffering, Internal Devastation, Regurgitate the Dead, Perversion and Sickness Destroy the Human Race, Wet Sounds of Flesh on Concrete.)

I also am really enjoying Suffo's Blood Oath---especially track 5, which is a total standout. I can see why people don't like it (actually most people on this thread refer to it negatively), but to me--like Morbid Angel's great Gateways of Annihilation---it is a welcome slower, thicker and more atmospheric direction.

Laceration just came in the mail, about to check it out...
 
I heard the Laceration album on bandcamp and didn't like it too much. It's good, but I was expecting something much better sounding, I think the overly robotic drums and lack of dirty pumping bass really takes away impact. I'll have to listen again, but when a death metal album doesn't hit me in the nuts at first listen it rarely does so in subsequent ones. I did like his first demo (which, fun fact, I was going to mix until someone else made a better offer) because the songs had potential, but I think the production didn't improve too much from that demo into the full length. It's not bad in any way though.
 
Oh hey guys, I've just been informed I have a package from wiilowtip waiting for me at home. New Wormed is way early. :kickass:
 
DanLights said:
I heard the Laceration album on bandcamp and didn't like it too much. It's good, but I was expecting something much better sounding
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I enjoyed Laceration to a moderate degree---it's a palm-muting fiesta and pretty decent, though this is the kind of album that may or may not grow on me in subsequent listens. Better than the almost mediocre Female Nose Breaker which I checked out on the same day.

Robotic drums and too much triggering are often a problems in death metal, though triggers can be used tastefully in combination with a more live sound-- the drum production of Inferno's kit in the band Behemoth is superb.

In terms of death metal production, bands like Coffins and Asphyx are my favorite, but this may not work as well with more complicated music (eg. some notes and hits would be lost).
 
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