The Time Traveler's Dilemma

There comes a point in nearly every brutal death metal band's career when they are forced to take a hard look at their music. When said bands arrive at such a cross roads they're forced to make a choice, continue down the path of the typical gore-infested themes that have served well in the past and are certainly a beloved classic, or do they dare to break the mold. I think that in the case of New York death metal elites "Afterbirth", the choice was all too simple. Yet to use the term "break the mold" to describe the radical shift in their debut full length "The Time Traveler's Dilemma", would be grossly understated. Afterbirth have not only broken the mold with this one of a kind flawless masterpiece, but have in fact completely deconstructed the very perception of brutal death metal by injecting so many different influences in a way that no other band before them has come even remotely close to replicating. The aforementioned influences are so extreme that it would surely turn away many brutal death purists, but for people that want to hear the most unique, most varied, most original, and simply put, the most insanely perfect brutal death metal album ever recorded, look no further than "The Time Traveler's Dilemma".

I've mentioned the term "brutal death metal" several times already because make no mistake, this is indeed a brutal death release, with the intensely crushing grooves, the most abstract and beautifully crafted drums you have ever heard in your entire life, and the wonderful "Wormed like" poppy, froggy, guttural as hell vocals very reminiscent of the Legendary Phlegeton himself. These things are all just the very tip of the creative ice berg however because know that to listen to this album in its entirety is a delightfully eclectic and celestial journey through the heavens and hells of death metal the likes of which no mere mortal has ever embarked upon.

Before I go further into this review, I must say that simply put, "The Time Traveler's Dilemma" is the absolute zenith of brutal death metal evolution, and easily the best ever written. I made mention earlier to the very "Wormed" like vocals, but honestly so very much of this album reminds me of those Spanish hyperblasting veterans, from those creative and uniquely timed off kilter drum sections to the very spacey and hypnotically grinding vibes that flow and cascade throughout the stratosphere. In fact if you love Wormed, then I can already guarantee that you will love this album as I have never heard a band that not only have perfectly emulated their signature sound, but have improved upon it in every conceivable way. With the album opener "Eternal Return", that starts off with a feverish drum roll that pummels you into submission and eventually gives way to hard hitting chug grooves and jovial jungle snares, right off the bat you can tell what you're in for. The level of creativity only continues to delve deeper once you find yourself mesmerized by the spacey and melodious hard rock chorus of "Multiverse Dementia", with the accompanying quirky yet subtle tech riffs and guitar play, it is truly one of the most varied tracks on the album. After that sensational song you are greeted by my favorite of the four purely instrumental tracks of this forty five minute eleven track album. While having four of the songs being purely instrumental may seem like a bit much, I assure you that it is necessary in creating the overall atmosphere and the album as a whole wouldn't have the same effect without them. Entitled "The Time Traveler's Dilemma I", it's a simple yet effective jazzy little instrumental romp through space and time as if floating on a cloud of soothing emotion and relaxation allowing you to prepare yourself for the impending doom that will soon befall you.

Further into your life altering journey you'll happen upon my favorite track of the album, "Timeless Formless", which starts off with a deep yet somber guitar riff that sounds more like the beginning of a Creed song or any other hard rock band from the late 90s until giving birth to the hard hitting chorus. I can't help but chant along the words "timeless", "formless", "nameless", every time I hear it! As well as having the most memorable vocals, this track also has the most diversified structure with many different patterns and time signatures as well as the most playful and plucky bass tones you have ever heard. If bands like Defeated Sanity, Devangelic, and Condemned are the blackened essence of pure evil, then Afterbirth (at least as far as "The Time Traveler's Dilemma" is concerned), is the lighter and more ethereal side of death metal, though equally brutal. Now I know what you must be thinking, words like "playful", "jazzy", "soothing", "emotional", "relaxing", how can adjectives such as these invoke such a level of brutality? How can an album have all these seemingly out of place elements and still be considered brutal death metal? Well as I stated before, make no mistake, this is a brutal death metal album of the very highest caliber and will surely brutalize you beyond recognition by dragging you into the deepest darkest recesses of Oblivion and tearing you limb from limb, it just does so while enveloping you within its warm embrace.

Afterbirth have achieved something all other bands of this wonderful yet ever stagnated genre can only dream of, crafting a one of a kind and eternally memorable work of art. It goes without saying that this album reigns supreme as my favorite album of 2017, but more importantly, it's an album that will stand the test of time and will never be outdone by any other as long as death metal exists, which is forever. In summation, "The Time Traveler's Dilemma" is hypnotic yet brutal. Soothing yet devastating. Mesmerizing yet catastrophic. Most of all, it's an album that I will cherish for the rest of my life.