New Jasad tracks, a new Inherit Disease track, and also a new Pathology song too!

Jasad, everyone's favorite underachieving Indonesian slam band has two new songs up, neither of which sound particularly underachieving! Which means they've...achieved something good! Pay attention about 1:50 into "Precious Moment to Die"...if you don't immediately headbang to that, you are dead:

Jasad @ Myspace

Really, both prior albums by the band have been underwhelming for various reasons (unmemorable songwriting, really really crap production on Annihilate the Enemy...), but this seems like it'll be really good. Fingers crossed.

Inherit Disease, widely known as being, well, (unfortunately not very good) Cali brutal tech DM have released a new song off their album Visceral Transcendence...it's actually pretty good, but I'm sure a whole album of it will get tiring. Hey, at least the vocalist has stepped up his game and doesn't just sound like a really loud frog. Unfortunate that the drums have to be so overbearing while the riffing is nicely angular and logical...judge for yourself here...

...and here is the teaser track off Pathology's debut for Victory Records...er...yeah, that makes me cringe a bit too. But, fear not, for it actually sounds pretty nice.



CODE INJECT CODE INJECT CODE INJECT! Matti Way for the win.

Gorevent - Worship Paganism (Macabre Mementos; 2010)

I have mixed feelings about the Japanese brutal/slam death scene. Some of my favorite albums and bands have come out of there, but while the genre on the whole is getting better and better, it seems that the Japanese brutal death metal scene has stagnated or perhaps even gotten worse. That's why I was hopeful that Gorevent's sophomore album, Worship Paganism, would be good.

Gorevent's first album, Abnormal Exaggeration, was above average slam. It relied on simple, pounding riffs and deep guttural vocals. In his review Andy referred to Gorevent as "2nd tier slam" in that they were worse than the best the genre had to offer, but still pretty good. With Worship Paganism, I think Gorevent have improved, but, to continue the metaphor, not enough to crack that 1st tier.

Worship Paganism follows basically the same formula as Abnormal Exaggeration. Slow and mid-paced chugs coexist along with angular slams and the occasional evil sounding tremolo riff. This album reminded me of Human Rejection's album Decrepit to Insanity if that album was about half the speed. If you want anything approaching technicality or anything grindy and blasting, you will be disappointed by this album. It definitely sticks to the slow, plodding side of slam.

Where I think Gorevent did well on this album is bringing out a feeling of bestiality and primitivism on this record. I realize these terms are a little vague (what music descriptor isn't) but those are the two best words I can think of describe the overall feeling of Worship Paganism. Gorevent are able to infuse their music with a feeling of dread and general creepiness. I think evoking these feelings are exactly what Gorevent had to do to keep their slow and simple formula interesting and I'm very glad they did.  This album may not please those of you who are more into tech/brutal or deathgrind stuff, but I really liked it. If other Japanese bands started putting out albums of this quality, I think my concerns for the scene would be put mostly at ease.