WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW.

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[FVBTVS]

This is pretty great

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He interviewed Mallard Theory/Henry C Rail awhile back who I never realized was so young, he's in his early 20's now which means when we were tape/CDR trading in the 2010's it was a 12 year old kids mom mailing shit for him. Makes me feel really weird.

[FVBTVS]

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[the awesome Assassin]

[Brutus Frank]

This record is so fucking amazing. The leads sound like Paulo Jr. on a Gigeresque Space Journey.

Is it an album? Technically. Honestly it’s more their known single at the time (Nosferatu dates to 1994) along with a SICK E.P. that clocks in at under 30 min. Blasts abound, pushing this into the space between thrash metal and death metal, though it seems obvious that by the time this record was recorded everyone involved had heard Abominations of Desolation. To call them a mere early Morbid Angel clone, despite this, would be beyond inaccurate; Pat Ranieri (the driving force behind the band) is an excellent guitar player in his own right, and his vocals have a tortured blackened thrash feel that absolutely suits the music in a way I can imagine no other doing. This feels closer to Blasting Thrash than Blackened Thrash, but either description works I suppose.

Hellwitch had put out a SIGNIFICANT amount of demos between 1984’s original release of the song Nosferatu and 1990’s Syzygial Miscreancy, but it was absolutely their signature song. Which is fine, it’s a damn rager for certain, but in terms of subject matter seems to depart from everything else on this record or everything that followed it with it’s over the top Satanic/Horror imagery that was so prolific within the early death metal scene of 83-90. Which doesn’t matter because, as mentioned before, it’s an absolute R-A-G-E-R.

While the kick drum is the star of the mix, one should certainly pay attention to the amount of skill Ranieri demonstrates with his wah-pedal, using perfectly timed sweeps of the pedal across lead parts as opposed to constantly hammering it in an attempt to give every note a sense of sibilance. Instead he achieves a throatiness that compliments each passage. His atonal yet frenetic lead guitar work is rarely seen elsewhere, the only thing immediately coming to mind being the guitar solo in Gorguts “Obscura” from the album of the same title.

You will find quite a few different versions of this record, if you can find it I suggest getting the 2009 Displease Records version that also contains all 4 of the bands demos from 1984 until the release of this record. That said, there are MANY different reprints of this record, and all of them feature the ripping tracks from above.

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[FVBTVS]

[Necrometer]

I didn't listen at all, actually - kept it on mute

but I wanted to share this because the Fancy Costume Guys take a lil' break from the tunes at the 31 mark so their roadies can bring out a couple of xmas trees

the singer takes his cute helmet off so he can headbang without it falling off

[Brutus Frank]

You shouldn't have muted it, those guys are a great time

[Brutus Frank]

The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation is the 2019 debut from Superstition, the alter ego of Santa Fe doom metal stalwarts Predatory Light. Sounding like Mortal Throne of Nazarene era Incantation playing early Sinister and Hellwitch, but with far more use of atypical time signatures in the riffing, The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation should excite anyone into classic death metal. Its excellent riffing, well composed structures, and absolutely manic performance demonstrate exactly what is so engaging about classic death metal when done well.

Superstitions consistently changing tempos to the drumming provide a counterpoint to both the frantic and consistent finger twisting tremolo picked riffing and the heavy use of whammy on banshee-wail leads. The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation gives the listener an occasional interlude to catch their breath with transitory atmospheric synthesizer pieces, but just as soon as you have your bearings the frenetic riffing begins again. It has a clear, crisp, almost glasslike production, reminiscent of mid period Death. Vocals are a mid-ranged vomitous growl, bass is mixed low, guitars are a bit fizzy in tone but clear and sound like razor wire, and drums are clear but not thick almost like And Justice for All or about half of Voivods work.

Superstition created an excellent debut of crushing atmospheric death metal in a classic vein with The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation. Most death metal bands could go a decade without make a record half as good as their influences, much less create a record on par with them; The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation is the type of record many bands spend an entire career trying to make. That said, I look forward to a followup that is just as energetic, well written, and excellently performed….but maybe a little fuller in the production.

[MPD]

...who is currently on your ignore list, made this post.

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[FVBTVS]

[Brutus Frank]

So NOFX lead single from 4 days ago is a cover of Hi-Standards lead single from 10 months ago.

Sounds exactly the same

[Geeheeb]

[featherboa]

culture shock

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[Necrometer]

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[FVBTVS]

[the awesome Assassin]

Yeah!