June 2020 Feature Release - The Horde Edition
It's now June which of course means that we'll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we're asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. Ben & I look forward to hearing your thoughts & opinions.
This month's feature release for The Horde is a little bit different as it's actually a four-way split album entitled "Scaphism" which features contributions from slam death metal outfits Delusional Parasitosis (USA/Germany), Ecchymosis (Thailand), Dissevered (Laos) & Bleeding (Netherlands). The sheer brutality of the slam death metal subgenre isn't for everyone however this release showcases all of its key attributes in all of their glory & we can't find out which side of the fence you fall on.
https://metal.academy/releases/15167
These bands really do take all of the trademark characteristics of the slam movement & accentuate them to their extremes. I'm generally a big fan of the more brutal side of death metal so there's a fair bit to interest me here however the ridiculously pingy snare sounds, overuse of gravity blast beats & continuously monotonous vocal delivery that makes no attempt to enunciate actual words can be challenging at times. Thankfully the riffs are always chunky & exciting though. I didn't like Ecchymosis much but the other three bands were all pretty cool. Particularly Delusional Paratosis. It's a 3.5/5 from me.
Well, this was horrendous for me. Let's break this down I guess:
Delusional Parasitosis
- "Ping snare", or open snare as I know it, was something new to me in this genre so it was initially somewhat exciting.
- Drums are EXTREMELY high in the mix, I can't focus on anything else.
- The vocal effects are atrocious.
- Why are tracks 3 and 4 the exact same song?
Ecchymosis
- Drums are thankfully less pronounced except for the kick.
- Vocals are even worse since they have this annoying warble to them.
- Breakdowns and riffs are pretty awful and mostly unintelligible.
Dissevered
- Vocals aren't that bad compared to Ecchymosis.
- Better guitar mixing, the riffs are actually interesting!
- The open snare effect/gimmick is really starting to get old, even though it's less pronounced than Delusional Parasitosis.
Bleeding
- What even are these vocals, they sound like a half-formed flesh demon arising from steaming goo pits, to spin it positively. Or a squeaky door creaking open.
- The guitar tone is much more grindy, at least it sounds different.
- The extra cymbals and percussion composition is much more interesting than the other 3 bands.
Brutal/Slam Death Metal is just not for me and even though there were some distinct differences between this and something like Disembowlment, I can't find anything positive to say. So I'll just end it there.
1/5
That's some scathing commentary there Xephyr. Very enjoyable indeed! 
I think I would have a similar response to it, so I won't even bother with this one.