Korum - Son Of The Breed
2003 - Sekhmet Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Available from Plastic Head Music Distribution.
French avant-garde death metal band Korum have been playing together since 1999, and after their well-received demo in 2001, they return with their debut album fusing brutal death metal, jazz elements and rhythms from hardcore and thrash music. This all comes together with frighteningly incediary effect on 'Son Of The Breed'.
Speaking frankly, it's hard to think of any comparisons to this band since I haven't heard anything much like it before - although the best I can do is to say that if you stuck Cryptopsy and The Dillinger Escape Plan in a blender, you'd probably end up with something sounding like this album. The vocals are delivered with alternating screams and growls while the drums batter away as if under the control of an epileptic serial killer. Meanwhile, the guitar riffs career madly between vicious stabs of sound, thrash metal riffage, jarringly high pitched fretboard gymnastics and more simplistic chugging passages.
The bassist too seems to have his work cut out for him, and thanks to the clear production it is possible to appreciate his sterling efforts in keeping up with the frantic pace kept up throughout. 'Time Has Come' in particular features a very cool-sounding bass solo intro before turning into one of Korum's more bludgeoning, mid-tempo tracks that soon spirals madly into more frantic riffing like someone suffering an unexpected seizure.
All in all, Korum are a fantastically promising new band who have delivered an exhilaratingly energetic and fresh-sounding debut. Can't wait to see where they go from here!
9/10
2003 - Sekhmet Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Available from Plastic Head Music Distribution.
French avant-garde death metal band Korum have been playing together since 1999, and after their well-received demo in 2001, they return with their debut album fusing brutal death metal, jazz elements and rhythms from hardcore and thrash music. This all comes together with frighteningly incediary effect on 'Son Of The Breed'.
Speaking frankly, it's hard to think of any comparisons to this band since I haven't heard anything much like it before - although the best I can do is to say that if you stuck Cryptopsy and The Dillinger Escape Plan in a blender, you'd probably end up with something sounding like this album. The vocals are delivered with alternating screams and growls while the drums batter away as if under the control of an epileptic serial killer. Meanwhile, the guitar riffs career madly between vicious stabs of sound, thrash metal riffage, jarringly high pitched fretboard gymnastics and more simplistic chugging passages.
The bassist too seems to have his work cut out for him, and thanks to the clear production it is possible to appreciate his sterling efforts in keeping up with the frantic pace kept up throughout. 'Time Has Come' in particular features a very cool-sounding bass solo intro before turning into one of Korum's more bludgeoning, mid-tempo tracks that soon spirals madly into more frantic riffing like someone suffering an unexpected seizure.
All in all, Korum are a fantastically promising new band who have delivered an exhilaratingly energetic and fresh-sounding debut. Can't wait to see where they go from here!
9/10
