Decimator

You know that feeling you get the instant before someone punches you in the gut? That feeling you get when you see the fist coming, and knowing that there’s absolutely nothing you can do to dodge it at this point? Well, this is exactly the feeling one gets while listening to Diocletian’s Decimator EP. This vicious horde from down under is like an authoritative iron fist straight into the gut of the pathetic so-called “bestial” scene.

This is the second release from Diocletian after their acclaimed 2005 demo; it contains five tracks, one of which is a cover of Bolt Thrower’s “All that Remains”, clocking in at roughly 25 minutes in total. The EP starts off with a sound clip of mortar fire, which fades out at the same time as guitar riff and a militant beat fades in. The title track starts off with crushingly heavy riff and a slow but deliberate drum pattern; the calm before the storm. That soon dissolves into a relentless war metal assault comparable to Revenge’s offerings, but takes a less noisy, more streamlined approach. The guitars evoke a savagery that grips the listener till the last second of the EP, and contain a hint of filth that can be seen in early Arkhon Infaustus releases; the solos are very atonal and reminiscent of Helmkamp’s work. The drumming is militant and highly competent, similar in style to J.Read’s but different enough that the listener will not feel like he has heard this EP on a Revenge or a Conqueror recording. Muir’s vocal performance is utterly hateful and disgusting on this EP, sounding somewhere in between the hissing of snakes and a wolf’s howling. The production on this EP is clear, which is a rare occurrence in this type of music; rather than weakening the overall effect of this EP, it strengthens it.

At the time of my writing of this review, Diocletian is currently administering the final touches on their first full-length, Doom Cult. If you have not heard this band as of yet, I urge you to pick up Decimator in anticipation of this release. Diocletian is one of the few bands who do not tarnish the war/bestial name with pointless black noise and bad musicianship. I have nothing but praise for them and this EP. ANTICHRIST HAMMERFIST!