Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for Seprevation - Consumed (2014)

I had never heard of UK death thrashers Seprevation until the Review Draft for this month. Active since 2011 (with a hiatus around COVID seeing the band only just reactivated in 2023), Consumed remains the only album from these rabid Bristol boys. Unsigned acts are ten a penny nowadays but this independent release from nearly a decade ago smells strongly of the underground. The production does a superb job of allowing the scathing guitars and skin-stripping intensity of the band shine through. Influences such as Possessed and Sadus are obvious but are not delivered as mere band worship.

Guitarists Ian Aston and Joss Farrington can certainly play as they trade Slayer-esque sonics throughout the album whilst vocalist Lluc Tupman has a decent enough range to compliment both the death metal and thrash metal ranges also. Although a little lost in the mix sometimes the drums of Jamie Wintle are impressive still, mixing it up nicely between the more furious death thrash moments and some more measured pacing when also required. A shout out to Lluc’s bass work also which is consistent and even gets exploratory on tracks such as Dreams.

The OSDM traits really come to the fore on the superb Slave to the Grave with its rabid pace and diving leads this track cements the roots of Seprevation as being in death metal first and foremost with any thrash parts being a secondary bolt-on module to the bands core sound. If this was the kind of music Seprevation were able to pull off in their early years, then any planned full-length output moving forwards holds much promise.

Consumed seems to get better as the track listing progresses with the death metal elements increasing in footprint also. Based on the strength of this debut album I am surprised that Seprevation have never been signed up by any of the many labels that would lap this type of death thrash metal up. However, for as long as the band can put out releases of this quality then it matters not how we get our grubby little mitts on it I suppose.