A five-piece outfit (unfortunately split up) highly appraised by the underground (and not without reason) have conceived a great work of death metal art in the form of "Pierced From Within". This record contains everything that death metal should have; it is an acknowledgement of death and an approvement of it, a reflection on the emptiness of our time and an effort create beauty from the chaos of destruction. The band succeed surprisingly well in this. Production is bass-heavy but not too much, everything is audible yet it does not give away all of its secrets immediately. At first hearing the approach is rather direct, a brutal death metal band with a technical aesthetic, with a competent vocalist and ditto musicians. Further exploration reveals that this assumption is not altogether correct: these people are on to something. Fluidly they pass through different sections, deftly making use of cycling rhythms and tempo shifts. Guitar work is rather good and after a few listens the role of the vocals sinks in: they sometimes lead the music and lay rhythmic accents otherwise unnoticed. Furiously intoned syllables call forth an atmosphere of brutality seldom encountered and combined with pounding double-bass works this result in sometimes dangerously violent death metal mayhem. The one aspect unmentioned is the lead guitar solo's. Amidst the brutal death metal these leads sound clearly, sometimes piercing high, expressing the beauty of life in the context with death. Each and every one is exceptional, perhaps not in its technicality but in its melody in contrast with the low brutal guitar riffs. Excellent! These notes of mourning beauty, despairing anger and searing grief can be found throughout the whole album and enhance the music greatly. Each turn of this album is another surprise and all in all it is extremely worthwhile. One of the landmarks of death metal, and more. Despite my currently sober state of mind I cannot stop drooling and I shove it in my tray to give it another spin, torn into enthrallment...

© 1999 dwaallicht