DISMEMBERMENT - Denied Salvation EP review

DISMEMBERMENT - Denied Salvation EP
Self Released
Genre: Blackened Thrash

Ohio's DISMEMBERMENT follow that rare American metal tradition of not being so easily defined. In the same vein as SKELETONWITCH and DECEASED, this four piece act refuse to round off their edges in order to be properly placed in the correct genre peg hole. Sure they go by the moniker blackened thrash which is strongly evident but there's a whole lot more going on with this band's overall sound as represented by their five song EP. Denied Salvation is DISMEMBERMENT's second EP. Their first, The Condemned, came out last year. When I first took a listen to this one my initial reaction was are you sure these guys are American? They sound quite European, let me see your papers? I detect an accent. Actually it's more of a DESTRUCTION and AURA NOIR influence which I think is cool as fuck, then again I'm a long time fan of those two bands. You have these intense filthy sounding thrash riffs paired up with fast paced drum pounding and topped off by sulfuric vocals. They even kick in some searing solo work and that's just part of the package although it's a perfect description of songs like "Gateways To The Past" or the opener "Last Rites".

To find the rest of the band's surprises as far as genre combinations you really need to pay attention. Bands who fail at cross genre pollinating are those who make things too obvious. DISMEMBERMENT allows things to be subtle and mysterious whether it's the guitar solo on "Perpetual Malice", the death like minor song structures at the mid-point in "Reap What You Sow" along with the classic sounding riff, the fuckin bass soloing in the opener "Last Rites". Hell I could continue but I'll just say that this band's song craft is damm good as well as being a breath of fresh extreme. After a few years of hearing new jacks channeling 80's Bay Area bands or Crossover Hardcore retro acts it's sort of a relief to hear something not following blindly down the same path especially here in the U.S. Along the lines that I started this review, DISMEMBERMENT are a rare one who have taken the darker devious approach to their craft and you'll be wearing a neck brace but sporting a sinister grin after listening to this to prove it. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that they've been signed to a decent label who appreciates what they're doing and gives em a chance to prove it with a full length later this year.

Rating: 5/5

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/DISMEMBERMENTohio

Bandcamp: http://dismemberment.bandcamp.com/