Revival of a Nest Ignorant

I can't believe that until now this EP from Ukrainian band Derogation hasn't yet had a review. Perhaps here at MA there's some resistance against Ukrainian bands because of what's been going on in Ukraine since the Maidan protests over 2013 - 2014? Until I see evidence to the contrary, I'm going to take Derogation at face value and assume they're politically neutral in the sense that they see both or all sides of Ukrainian politics as equally corrupt and criminal. This band makes a modest entry into the world of underground metal with a short release "Revival of a Nest Ignorant" just shy of 16 minutes.

If you didn't know there are actually five songs bunched up here and performed at punishing speed (and in equally punishing style), you'd swear this EP was one long twisting song: there ain't too much that distinguishes one song from the next and the guys go too fast to care about melody or rhythm. Usually the rhythms and beats are choppy although occasionally guitars go all relaxed. Deep swamp monster vocals rarely go above barely inaudible and gurgling, and the fury and hatred can just be sensed. Guitars, bass and drums play as one and this extreme tightness combined with the sudden abruptness with which the band belts out riffs makes for an unsettling journey through the murk and grinding brutality.

If heard often enough, the EP does start making a bit more sense and you'll be able to work out when songs start and finish. The band scrabbles around a lot at the beginning of most songs and the music rises in intensity and sheer heavy force very quickly to a climax that finishes and ends the song quickly. The highlight of the entire release is the very short instrumental "Nex Humani Generis", a slavering force of sheer evil dripping with jellied venom and the slick and slimy remains of the last consumed human victim.

These guys don't sound very different from other deep-sounding brutal swamp-monster metal bands and developing a more distinct style is something they'll need to do on future recordings. Playing heavy and hard-hitting death metal at high speeds with vocals gurgling in thick mud doesn't exactly allow young bands to showcase everything they can do. Derogation undoubtedly have good technical chops and play well together. The music is solid and even includes some experimentation with sounds and effects. I think these musicians can do very well and might have a lasting career if their country's situation doesn't worsen.