Wetwork Synod
Krankenhaus Records 2005
By Russell Garwood
Coming from the wintry heart of Canada, Wetwork play cold, technical death metal. Progressive structures combine with tight instrumentation to create an unremitting barrage of changing time signatures, pummelling rhythms and viscous songs. The guitars hold enough melody to give each track its own identity; this release is drowning in precise riffage and start stop sections which create and maintain a heavy sound. Occasional more atmospheric refrains provide respite from an otherwise relentless assault, often aided by the clever use of spoken passages and repetition to create an eerie feel over the creepy melodies. Female vocals are highly effective harsh growls are just as acerbic as the rest of the instruments, while sporadic singing/speech is subtle and well employed. The bass is often independent of the guitars, helping create a multifaceted sound, and occasional solo moments provide a welcome addition. The drums are almost mechanical, whimsically changing time with the greatest of ease - tight fills and obscure rests separating a myriad of different beats.
All of this makes for an impressive release. Synod is chock full of cohesive, carefully constructed tracks, that manage to avoid the disjointed feel and subsequent boredom of much overtly technical music. This is all finished with high quality production. For fans of technical and traditional death Wetwork come highly recommended.
8/10
Official Krankenhaus website
Official Wetwork website
Krankenhaus Records 2005
By Russell Garwood
Coming from the wintry heart of Canada, Wetwork play cold, technical death metal. Progressive structures combine with tight instrumentation to create an unremitting barrage of changing time signatures, pummelling rhythms and viscous songs. The guitars hold enough melody to give each track its own identity; this release is drowning in precise riffage and start stop sections which create and maintain a heavy sound. Occasional more atmospheric refrains provide respite from an otherwise relentless assault, often aided by the clever use of spoken passages and repetition to create an eerie feel over the creepy melodies. Female vocals are highly effective harsh growls are just as acerbic as the rest of the instruments, while sporadic singing/speech is subtle and well employed. The bass is often independent of the guitars, helping create a multifaceted sound, and occasional solo moments provide a welcome addition. The drums are almost mechanical, whimsically changing time with the greatest of ease - tight fills and obscure rests separating a myriad of different beats.
All of this makes for an impressive release. Synod is chock full of cohesive, carefully constructed tracks, that manage to avoid the disjointed feel and subsequent boredom of much overtly technical music. This is all finished with high quality production. For fans of technical and traditional death Wetwork come highly recommended.
8/10
Official Krankenhaus website
Official Wetwork website
