Odious Mortem Cryptic Implosion
Willowtip Records WT-050 April 24, 2007
By Jason Jordan
When one ponders on the absolute best albums Willowtip has to offer, several come to mind but few actually make the final cut Arsiss A Celebration of Guilt, Watchmakers Erased from the Memory of Man, and Crowpaths Son of Sulphur are arguably the pinnacles of the label. Well, add Odious Mortems Cryptic Implosion to that elite list. Specifically, the bands sophomore album is an exquisite slab of technical death metal that is relentless, punishing, and as the promo sheet aptly puts it, vicious.
Last year saw the release of numerous tech death metal records from traditional, early 90s-inspired takes (Twisted into Form, Unreal Overflows) to more modern, brutal attempts (Anata, Decapitated, Martyr, Psycroptic, Spawn of Possession, Ulcerate). Willowtip even entered the ring with a devastating three-pack in Dim Mak, Gorod, and Sulaco. Aside from Beneath the Massacre, the style seems to be hibernating for the time being, but thankfully we receive stopgap appeasement in the form of Cryptic Implosion, which single-handedly confirms why I enjoy technical death metal so much. First and foremost, the level of musicianship is of the highest degree. Despite Odious Mortems follow-up to their Unique Leader debut Devouring the Prophecy lasting only a scant 35 minutes, one simply has to marvel at the know-how manifested in speedy, brutal numbers like Fragmented Oblivion, The Endless Regression of Mind, Vile Progeny, and all others that make up this 10-track outing. Though they dont necessarily play circles around their peers, the intermittent Neuraxis-y vibes, Arsis-y leads, and frantic drums still impress, proving they can hang with any similar groups. Of particular interest is the bass drop at the 49-second mark of Dysmorphic Avulsion fucking awesome.
Nevertheless, many complain about the lack of emotion within technical death metal, and while Odious Mortems music isnt devoid of it, Cryptic Implosion isnt as invested in emotion as Anatas The Conductors Departure and Twisted into Forms Then Comes Affliction to Awaken the Dreamer. Yet, somehow, CI manages to surpass colder, overly calculated efforts from Beneath the Massacre, Martyr, and others you see above in shoutout central apologies for all the namedrops.
At any rate, for me technical death metals most important elements are songwriting and musicianship, which usually trump emotion in the long run. OM bring the goods in spades, cementing the notion that CI is the finest record Willowtip have unleashed in recent memory. Excellent.
Official Odious Mortem Website
Official Willowtip Records Website
Willowtip Records WT-050 April 24, 2007
By Jason Jordan
When one ponders on the absolute best albums Willowtip has to offer, several come to mind but few actually make the final cut Arsiss A Celebration of Guilt, Watchmakers Erased from the Memory of Man, and Crowpaths Son of Sulphur are arguably the pinnacles of the label. Well, add Odious Mortems Cryptic Implosion to that elite list. Specifically, the bands sophomore album is an exquisite slab of technical death metal that is relentless, punishing, and as the promo sheet aptly puts it, vicious.
Last year saw the release of numerous tech death metal records from traditional, early 90s-inspired takes (Twisted into Form, Unreal Overflows) to more modern, brutal attempts (Anata, Decapitated, Martyr, Psycroptic, Spawn of Possession, Ulcerate). Willowtip even entered the ring with a devastating three-pack in Dim Mak, Gorod, and Sulaco. Aside from Beneath the Massacre, the style seems to be hibernating for the time being, but thankfully we receive stopgap appeasement in the form of Cryptic Implosion, which single-handedly confirms why I enjoy technical death metal so much. First and foremost, the level of musicianship is of the highest degree. Despite Odious Mortems follow-up to their Unique Leader debut Devouring the Prophecy lasting only a scant 35 minutes, one simply has to marvel at the know-how manifested in speedy, brutal numbers like Fragmented Oblivion, The Endless Regression of Mind, Vile Progeny, and all others that make up this 10-track outing. Though they dont necessarily play circles around their peers, the intermittent Neuraxis-y vibes, Arsis-y leads, and frantic drums still impress, proving they can hang with any similar groups. Of particular interest is the bass drop at the 49-second mark of Dysmorphic Avulsion fucking awesome.
Nevertheless, many complain about the lack of emotion within technical death metal, and while Odious Mortems music isnt devoid of it, Cryptic Implosion isnt as invested in emotion as Anatas The Conductors Departure and Twisted into Forms Then Comes Affliction to Awaken the Dreamer. Yet, somehow, CI manages to surpass colder, overly calculated efforts from Beneath the Massacre, Martyr, and others you see above in shoutout central apologies for all the namedrops.
At any rate, for me technical death metals most important elements are songwriting and musicianship, which usually trump emotion in the long run. OM bring the goods in spades, cementing the notion that CI is the finest record Willowtip have unleashed in recent memory. Excellent.
Official Odious Mortem Website
Official Willowtip Records Website
