Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Decapitated - Organic Hallucinosis (2006)
No matter how many times I stay in or out of the death metal realm, my over-a-decade-long metal journey has given me slightly more leeway to enjoy bands I would've avoided 5 or 10 years ago. One example is Decapitated. They're a technical death metal band that take on some progressive/groove metal elements. Don't get it twisted though, this ain't Gojira! Tech-death reigns in Decapitated's sound. And their 2006 album Organic Hallucinosis exemplifies that brilliantly with a powerful talented lineup.
That lineup didn't last long as a tour bus crash severely injured drummer Vitek and vocalist Covan. Vitek passed away from his injuries, and Covan would be left wheelchair-bound with cerebral hypoxia. The loss of two amazing band members was a poor tragedy, but we can still enjoy what they've made in one of the best albums of tech-death.
No intro required, "A Poem About an Old Prison Man" is a true tech-death blast. You can hear the thunderous riffing of Vogg (Vitek's brother) and the powerful drumming of Vitek. Covan performs furious death growls/shouts to make a Charles Manson poem more brutal than it already is. "Day 69" is a lot of fun. A lot of what the band has is in here. Covan's vocals continue to sound brutal over the catchy riffing and hard-to-replicate drumming. The greatest, most mind-f***ing part is the lyric "Sewers running through my veins", followed by sweet drum soloing by Vitek. "Relevance of Existence (The Trip)" is an early hint at the groove-ish sound of the band's later albums, with catchy riffing and drumming similar to Lamb of God, along with the usual growls by Covan. Another solid track!
The most complex riffing is heard in "Post (?) Organic", and I mean progressively complex. The rhythm section that includes Vitek and bassist Martin help make this wicked tech-death storm. Plus, we have one of the greatest solos in the album. All of this makes that track perhaps the most memorable here. Next up, "Visual Delusion" fits well in the name. Delusional illusions are stirred up from the guitar ambience. The soloing sounds so dark that it would make a better soundtrack for Arkham Asylum in the Joker movies than the whole "jukebox musical" sh*t.
"Flash-B(l)ack" flashbacks to the earlier tech-death while making room for some groove. Lots of great drumming and riffing here! This grand offering ends with "Invisible Control" with everything about the band reigning supreme is this 5-minute finale. The guitar is so mesmerizing from the start, and we get to Vitek's blazing drumming for the unfortunate final time. Another awesome piece of tech-death!
After that drastic tragedy, Decapitated took a couple years off and decided to continue in honor of Vitek and Covan. Their subsequent albums would gradually become more groove-laden. Organic Hallucinosis is pure deathly greatness from these Polish tech-death masters. I wouldn't have wanted this when I was a teen, but I'm glad I do now!
RIP Witold "Vitek" Kiełtyka
Favorites: "A Poem About an Old Prison Man", "Day 69", "Post (?) Organic", "Invisible Control"