Devourment - Unleash the Carnivore (2009)^{Release ID: 11595}

I just gave a glowing review to the rerecording of Butcher the Weak.  One would think that after a significant improvement over the original version, Devourment would've learned their lesson.  Nope, the resort to almost exclusive heaviness again.  Now Devourment are just as extreme as ever.  There's no denying that they're a major contender for the heaviest band on Earth.  But does that mean they're the best writers?  They only pretty much understand one thing about metal music, and they only incorporate enough of the bare essentials not to sell anything "bad."  This album really proves that.  Each song is basically a rehash of elements from the first two Devourment albums with the heaviness of the third, but with less polished production.  As a result, we get another case of the bad wall of cymbals drowning out the rhythms, leaving a fairly rhythmic headbangers' album that doesn't do the band any real justice.  Honestly, the very idea of them immediately going back to their bad habits after one surprisingly well-written and tightly-knit album is pretty annoying.  It's obvious that Devourment cares more about the rep than anything.  In the end, this album is STRICTLY for Devourment fans, because the fans will likely be satisfied that their heaviness factor hasn't waned.