Dead Soul Alliance – Slaves To The Apocalypse
Following on the back of a couple of EP releases in 2011 and 2013 which were decent forays into a traditional death metal structure with dense riffing and an oppressive sound on the debut and contrasted with the following EP which has a cleaner sound and slightly more technical approach but maintaining its death metal credentials throughout. Four years is a long time to have no product out for any band and that lack often impacts on a bands momentum and especially their recognition as the Canadian band, headed up by a duo of Wolven Deadsoul, aka William Finn and Shawn Carrier (full time drummer for Deamon), launches their latest EP release.
Noticeably the sound is much heavier and with that the musicianship has increased substantially when opener “Act Of The Sycophant” starts up after a short intro piece of gun fire and spoken words. The opening riff is excellent and backed up by reverberating bass, that links into the double kick and semi blasted drums. The use of samples is prevalent on the release which continues with “Forged In Forfeit” that sees the pace notched up momentarily. Varying the tempo within the songs works well as the guttural vocals are bellowed in a deep cavernous tone. The bass work again is excellent, infesting the song with a bludgeoning delivery as an old school death metal approach is maintained overall despite injecting some technical trickery into their song writing but without overdoing it for the sake of it.
Sometimes samples work well but when every song has one it can detract from the fluidity even if they are well sourced and potently relevant like the one that starts “Worlds Within Worlds” which has a narrated diatribe about religion. The songs opening riff is thunderous, harking to bands like Obituary using a pummelling bass and drum impetus. The title track begins with a thrusting riff and backing feedback not too dissimilar to how Slayer started the “Hell Awaits” album. Tenaciously slow, the guitar screeches malevolently before the main riff and subsequent increase in speed but sinuously shifting to slower realms with good results and enables the song to pitch and lull in varying levels of violence. Closing the EP is “Forever Against” a seething beast like riff emanation that is accompanied by an eerie guitar hook creating a ghostly aura before it dissipates quickly for the vocals to bark their intent. That eerie guitar hook rematerializes as a linking segue between the opaque riffing passages and copious amount of double bass. The vocals are deep, real gut churning discharges that suit the track superbly. As the song approaches its finale that menacing aura reappears leaving the last minute of the EP to stain your soul indelibly with death metal corruption.
Dead Soul Alliance has the craft and guile to take its music further as this new EP fills the gap in releases with a solid death metal release that despite being only a two piece sounds like a full band with a grisly production. Hopefully the next release won’t be a long wait.
Noticeably the sound is much heavier and with that the musicianship has increased substantially when opener “Act Of The Sycophant” starts up after a short intro piece of gun fire and spoken words. The opening riff is excellent and backed up by reverberating bass, that links into the double kick and semi blasted drums. The use of samples is prevalent on the release which continues with “Forged In Forfeit” that sees the pace notched up momentarily. Varying the tempo within the songs works well as the guttural vocals are bellowed in a deep cavernous tone. The bass work again is excellent, infesting the song with a bludgeoning delivery as an old school death metal approach is maintained overall despite injecting some technical trickery into their song writing but without overdoing it for the sake of it.
Sometimes samples work well but when every song has one it can detract from the fluidity even if they are well sourced and potently relevant like the one that starts “Worlds Within Worlds” which has a narrated diatribe about religion. The songs opening riff is thunderous, harking to bands like Obituary using a pummelling bass and drum impetus. The title track begins with a thrusting riff and backing feedback not too dissimilar to how Slayer started the “Hell Awaits” album. Tenaciously slow, the guitar screeches malevolently before the main riff and subsequent increase in speed but sinuously shifting to slower realms with good results and enables the song to pitch and lull in varying levels of violence. Closing the EP is “Forever Against” a seething beast like riff emanation that is accompanied by an eerie guitar hook creating a ghostly aura before it dissipates quickly for the vocals to bark their intent. That eerie guitar hook rematerializes as a linking segue between the opaque riffing passages and copious amount of double bass. The vocals are deep, real gut churning discharges that suit the track superbly. As the song approaches its finale that menacing aura reappears leaving the last minute of the EP to stain your soul indelibly with death metal corruption.
Dead Soul Alliance has the craft and guile to take its music further as this new EP fills the gap in releases with a solid death metal release that despite being only a two piece sounds like a full band with a grisly production. Hopefully the next release won’t be a long wait.
- Act Of The Sycophant
- Forged In Forfeit
- Worlds Within Worlds
- Slaves To The Apocalypse
- Formula Misanthropia
- Forever Against
Self released
Reviewer: twansibon
May 27, 2017
May 27, 2017
Next review:
Incineration - Dawn Of Dismemberment
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