Thursday, December 23, 2010

Blasphemer - Devouring Deception (Comatose Music; 2010)

Unfortunately for Blasphemer fans (myself included), Devouring Deception is a not a new full length follow up to their excellent debut On the Inexistence of God. Rather it is an EP consisting of three original songs, one Broken Hope cover, and a remastered version of the song "Cloaca of Iniquity" off their first album. This review will primarily be about the three original songs, although the cover and the remaster are good.

Blasphemer fit in very well with an Italian scene that has emerged as one of, if not the best brutal death metal scene in Europe. Along with Blasphemer there is Putridity, Septycal Gorge, Hour of Penance, Vomit the Soul, and many others. On their first album, Blasphemer took a blasting, technical approach and On the Inexistence of God does what every good tech/brutal album should and completely shreds with a lightning fast assault. They don't forget to slow it down and slam every now and then either. Devouring Deception thankfully does not mess with success too much, and the new songs are definitely within the realm of tech/brutal. If you haven't heard Blasphemer before, I would compare them to Defeated Sanity, or their countrymen Hour of Penance.

There are some changes from On the Inexistence of God. Blasphemer have gone for a more smooth, holistic approach. To use some brootal similes, On the Inexistence of God is like quick, surgical precision strikes. It is fast, and sharp. Devouring Deception is like a mechanical monster. It is crushing and huge. Both are complex and skilled, but Devouring Deception feels bigger.

I can't really say that Devouring Deception is better than On the Inexistence of God because it is only and EP. However, if Blasphemer can write seven more songs like the ones found Devouring Deception, I would love that full length. Blasphemer remain one of the premier Italian brutal bands.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I do like the EP and the first full length equally. I agree about the different... styles of sound on the two release. When I first heard the opening seconds of "Kuru - Laughing Death" I was blown away, so fast and yet so incredibly heavy, with, as you mentioned, very clean, surgical production. When I put on the EP I get a different vibe. The ambient, spoken word opening gives way to a more dirty, Suffocation vibe, but again, that is not a bad thing, I really do enjoy Blasphemer, definitely in my top 10 BDM bands at the moment. And, one last thing, I love their lyrics! Gore is not the end all be all of brutal death metal IMHO.