Deformity - Murder Within Sin (1999)^{Release ID: 18005}

Now this is a better, more solid mix of death metal and hardcore from this Belgian band! They've unleashed a different beast compared to their EP Misanthrope that was stuck in the middle between those two genres. They mixed them much more smoothly in their debut full album Murder Within Sin, with heavy emphasis on the death side.

I used to really try to avoid the standard death metal/deathcore like the plague, but this album from the late 90s rules! They've made a unique approach that's not as fast and technical as Cryptopsy, nor as brutal as Nile, nor as melodic as Arch Enemy, but right at the center of the 3, and from as much as a hardcore perspective as Embodyment to qualify as deathcore. Everything's in infectious excellence! They don't focus on over-playing solos, instead on dynamic motion.

"Eyes (They Watch, Part II)" is a sequel to a song from Misanthrope, and it's much better than the original. There's a slight touch of the modern deathcore The Contortionist had 10 years later before that band's more progressive sound. Perfect death metal/core reigns in "Bloodfields", especially the end when the vocalist screams "NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE!" That really has the vibe of threat and danger to be expected in the genre. "Stained Red" is a short one-minute track that would've been better if it was longer. But it serves as a prelude to the divine "Enter Within the Lust Divine".

"33" once again shows that there are more brutal sounds in The Revolution. An acoustic interlude "Angelheart" has excellent indulgence that reminds me of the outros of Stratovarius' earlier albums. Then it leads to the highlight "The Dark Sun", the centerpiece of the entire album, and a great underrated part of death metal/deathcore history. The riffing starts off sounding like Slayer before leading into bruising death, complete with screams and growls in the vocals. That's how explosive death metal/core can be!

One song kept in good consistence is "Speak Out My Name". That song and "Misanthrope" (the latter taking its name from that EP) are athletic hookers where brutal breakdowns are in great balance with the other aspects. "Burn Down the Heavens" showcases the deathcore influence that would spread to German metalcore bands Caliban and Heaven Shall Burn at that time. "Night Scars" is the 4-minute "epic" of the album, like the only good song of the Misanthrope EP, and once again, this kind of sound I wouldn't get away with long ago when I was only into the power metal of DragonForce, but now with more diversity in my range, there's much more leeway.

Despite the short album length of 27 minutes, Murder Within Sin is a prime example of impact instead of atmosphere in death metal/core, though the technicality can rise thanks to the efficiency. It's so stunning how much of a secret this album was back in the late 90s. Thank greatness for the internet to spill the beans and blood!

Favorites: "Eyes (They Watch, Part II)", "Bloodfields", "33", "The Dark Sun", "Misanthrope", "Night Scars"