Gatecreeper/Homewrecker/Outer Heaven/Scorched - Split
This split contains 4 amazing bands. Gatecreeper, Homewrecker, Outer Heaven, and Scorched. There is no special name for the split and the artwork is not too extremely detailed, but it is really eerie and creepy, leaving you to wonder if you are really ready for the aural hell that you are about to subject your ears to. The artwork kind of reminds me of that part in Raiders of the Lost Ark where the flying, skeleton-like ghosts terrorize those who opened the ark. This artwork definitely works and serves its purpose even though it lacks the band logos.
Gatecreeper’s track is called 'Carved Into Stone', and it definitely hits hard with their Americanized version of the ever popular Swedish sound. There is a uniqueness about this band as they seem to take this sound and combine it with the same type of “doomish” approach that Autopsy took on some of their older albums. It’s not like this throughout the song, though, as the traditions of the death metal genre speak volumes overall. The vibes here are somewhere between older Entombed and Dismember with vocals reminiscent of those heard on Sinister’s "Diabolical Summoning". So, if some of you have forgotten what the old school sounds like, this is definitely a track that will take you back to the days when death metal was just gaining momentum.
Homewrecker’s track, 'Perpetrators Of Annihilation', Is a more melodic tune that carries hints and vibes of Hypocrisy in some of the riffs. I wouldn’t say that this band is strictly death metal as it could be argued that they also incorporate elements of thrash and hardcore with even slighter elements of grind. It’s not so much in the sound as far as the grind vibe goes, but more in the rhythm. There is a bit of melody to this track, especially in the solos, but in no way does it take away from the overall brutality of the track. Their approach to extreme music is also unique as far as the material itself and the presentation of it.
Outer Heaven’s 'Death Worship' comes across as this mucky and thickly produced death/doom tune that is infectious from the first listen. This is definitely a track that will pull you down into the depths of hell with just the drum patterns and guitar tones alone. But, what really caught my attention was the vocals. They immediately reminded me of the same type of range and pattern of those used on Disembowelment’s "Transcend Into The Peripheral". Imagine, if you will, Incantation and Count Raven getting together and playing material that sounds like Cathedral’s "Forest Of Equilibrium". This is an excellent tune and probably my favorite on this split.
Lastly we have Scorched and their track 'Autopsy Incomplete'. What a way to end this split! This track starts off really eerie, like it’s coming out of some type of horror/slasher movie. After this, total hell and metallic suffering ensues. Sounding like a mixture of Asphyx and old Grave, Scorch really knock this one out of the park and is definitely something to prepare you for the full length record. There is a lot of effort and precision put into this track, but with Scorched, you shouldn’t expect anything less. They have perfected their craft and are ready to unleash hell upon the masses. This track is a perfect example of that fact.
Once again, Unspeakable Axe Records has put out another phenomenal release. The 4 bands here are 4 you should definitely keep your eyes on. If they weren’t, you can almost bet that they wouldn’t be on this split. There is nothing but superb musicianship on this release, and it is sure to keep even the most sophisticated metal head listening for years to come. Get in touch with this label to get your copy. There is a good chance that this will sell out.
Gatecreeper’s track is called 'Carved Into Stone', and it definitely hits hard with their Americanized version of the ever popular Swedish sound. There is a uniqueness about this band as they seem to take this sound and combine it with the same type of “doomish” approach that Autopsy took on some of their older albums. It’s not like this throughout the song, though, as the traditions of the death metal genre speak volumes overall. The vibes here are somewhere between older Entombed and Dismember with vocals reminiscent of those heard on Sinister’s "Diabolical Summoning". So, if some of you have forgotten what the old school sounds like, this is definitely a track that will take you back to the days when death metal was just gaining momentum.
Homewrecker’s track, 'Perpetrators Of Annihilation', Is a more melodic tune that carries hints and vibes of Hypocrisy in some of the riffs. I wouldn’t say that this band is strictly death metal as it could be argued that they also incorporate elements of thrash and hardcore with even slighter elements of grind. It’s not so much in the sound as far as the grind vibe goes, but more in the rhythm. There is a bit of melody to this track, especially in the solos, but in no way does it take away from the overall brutality of the track. Their approach to extreme music is also unique as far as the material itself and the presentation of it.
Outer Heaven’s 'Death Worship' comes across as this mucky and thickly produced death/doom tune that is infectious from the first listen. This is definitely a track that will pull you down into the depths of hell with just the drum patterns and guitar tones alone. But, what really caught my attention was the vocals. They immediately reminded me of the same type of range and pattern of those used on Disembowelment’s "Transcend Into The Peripheral". Imagine, if you will, Incantation and Count Raven getting together and playing material that sounds like Cathedral’s "Forest Of Equilibrium". This is an excellent tune and probably my favorite on this split.
Lastly we have Scorched and their track 'Autopsy Incomplete'. What a way to end this split! This track starts off really eerie, like it’s coming out of some type of horror/slasher movie. After this, total hell and metallic suffering ensues. Sounding like a mixture of Asphyx and old Grave, Scorch really knock this one out of the park and is definitely something to prepare you for the full length record. There is a lot of effort and precision put into this track, but with Scorched, you shouldn’t expect anything less. They have perfected their craft and are ready to unleash hell upon the masses. This track is a perfect example of that fact.
Once again, Unspeakable Axe Records has put out another phenomenal release. The 4 bands here are 4 you should definitely keep your eyes on. If they weren’t, you can almost bet that they wouldn’t be on this split. There is nothing but superb musicianship on this release, and it is sure to keep even the most sophisticated metal head listening for years to come. Get in touch with this label to get your copy. There is a good chance that this will sell out.