Demo 2018

Demo 2018 was the second and currently, the last output released by this Maltese grindcore/brutal death metal band. The previous release from this band, got 20% for the only song that was present. This demo contains the single "Make Gore not War" and two other more competent tracks. My opinion on the single "Make Gore Not War" has not change since I first reviewed it and I still believe it's the bad track released by this band up to this point.

For those who are not in the know, Gastroschisis plays a very mixed style of brutal death metal which draws influences from Necrophagist, Pyrexia and Devourment. The second track on this demo is an absolute monstrosity. Daniel Dean Kingswell truly goes all out on this one in terms of guitar work. The song plods along at a very frantic pace and creates a sense of urgency which makes the whole experience so god-damn claustrophobic, in a good way. At one point, the bass and the guitar engage in a very succinct back-and-forth which left me in awe at the very competent level of execution.

The third song on this demo did not leave the same impact the second track left on me, however, I have to admit that I still relatively enjoyed it. Roderick is a complete beast on the microphone as he has shown time and time again through various different output with bands such as Repugnance, which is a future Maltese death metal torchbearer. The guy behind the drums, Gabriel Borg is clearly very well seasoned when it comes to playing the drum-set in an interesting way. Most of the pacing on this demo is obviously extremely fast, yet he keeps on time and proves as an amazing pillar upon which the rest of the instruments can rely upon as a terms of reference. The bass guitarist needs no introduction to those who are familiar with the UK grindcore scene. Joey is an excellent bassist who expresses himself best when playing on the bass. The tone of both the guitar and the bass are covered in a very thin layer of distortion which doesn't leave an impact on the clarity of the notes, but only adds to the general hateful vibe being expressed.

The two new songs present on this demo have impressed me a lot and managed to destroy any bad feelings I had towards this band. The two new songs being showcased on this demo definitely showcase a more mature and self-assured level of songwriting. This shift in quality may be attributed to the expansion of the band from a two piece to a four piece. Fresh point of views and new ideas always manage to bring vitality to something, and this demo is a proof of that.