TRACKLISTING
1. Aborted - The Chondrin Enigma
2. In-Quest - Asynchronous Transmission
3. Prejudice - Exanimate
4. Suhrim - Bonesaw
5. Welkin - Loki
6. Unleash The Fury - Strike Me Down
7. Fatal recoil - Malicious
8. Murder Intentions - Corpse Explosion
9. Guttural - Anal Violation
10. Pulverize - Dominance
11. Pestifer - Involution Process
12. Icarian - Lazy Fairytale
13. Apocryph - Harbinger of Silence
14. Mystica - 6 Days To Live
15. Avoid - Dark Eyes
16. Chalice - We Are Equal
17. Reality - Human Execution
18. Self Inflicted - Propaghandi
19. Predatoria - Buried Alive
20. Fungus Inc. - XXX
review by Clive Vella
Compilations with 20 songs from 20 different bands are always difficult, particularly when you have big names and some lesser known bands. Facing your Underground, released in 2007, is a high quality compilation that comes up with a several great acts that range from the melodic to brutal death grind, with a couple of gorey bands that are worth mention. This cd is launched by Aborted, who introduce the compilation with one of their particular samples. This bands in my opinion keeps getting better and better. Their frenetically quick death metal is maintained throughout their albums and this track certainly stands out from the other bands in this compiltation. Mostly because Aborted have a rather particular style that can outshine any band. Followed by In-Quest I feel as if I cannot pass much of a judgement on this band. The track sounds like a mid track from a full length and the ending of this track does not sound in any way extreme to me. Prejudice, on the other hand, I had the pleasure of seeing once in their tour with Beheaded. This band plays an eclectic mix of riffs that range from mid tempo to hyper with some melody mashed into it. The track Examinate is a clear example of the style that these guys play and I recommend, but do give them more than one listen. Suhrim starts their track with a drum solo and ensued by deep vocals that are complimented by screaming vocals. I think the highlight of this band is their melody and punkish grooves, almost reminding me of Fleshless. Up next Welkin deliver what I consider a rather good song that is very driven by a powerful bass line that I would rather hear in hardcore. However, it was a refreshing change for death metal. This band is followed by Unleash the Fury, Fatal Recoil and Murder Intentions who I think suffered from a lower than average sound quality. Their music was of an average quality, so I would give them another shot at something of their own. Guttural is up next and I am more intrigued by this band. They deliver bile infested vocals with a very good set of groovy riffs that kind of remind me of Guttural Secrete, minus the exaggerated changes in riffs in the latter. I had to check myself because at first listen the drummer from Pulverize sounded like a drum machine. Avail, this French band actually has a drummer and I must say I was impressed. This band sticks to the more classic recipe for brutal death grind songs and I thought it was excellent! The following band Pestifer do not deliver anything particular and I feel unable to judge them properly. Icarian start off their song in a bad manner, however, it picks up after a minute and it sounds like a band with potential. Apocryph are probably the most melodic band in the whole compilation with a less extreme type of death that has some black influences in there, which is not too bad. The following bands Mystica, Avoid, Chalice, Reality, Self Inflicted, Predatoria and Fungus Inc deliver songs that range from the average to decent. In general their sound quality was lesser than the former songs. Plus, it appears as if they were the more melodic bands that sometimes sounded like they lacked a stylistic focus. A compilation is never easy to judge, however, for the most part this compilation was of great quality.
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