Defabricated Process

So here we have the one and only full-length album from the ridiculously underground and now defunct Death Metal act Nerlich. I could never fathom why this band didn’t receive more attention than they did, as Technical Death Metal has exploded in popularity lately and these guys play the style as forefather’s Atheist and the like intended it.

What struck me at first on “Defabricated Process” was just how bloody neck crunching the riffs are, these guys clearly bow down to the altar of acts such as Demilich and Adramelech, although you can hear strands of acts such as Morbid Angel, Nocturnus and the aforementioned Atheist. What helps sell these riffs are how well constructed they are, blending the snakes and ladder style palm muted riffs Technical Death Metal acts swear by, with the European style tremolo riffing and the post-Thrash smash of the US guard. The lead guitar work is well utilized, never overbearing but certainly frequent enough to please the ardent shred nut.

Vocals are placed right in the midst of the mix, and the style blends the ethereal Finnish style with a David Vincent ala “Altars of Madness” style approach. The rhythm section here is a tight and focused unit, with the bass being allowed moments to break out from the mix and shine, where as the drums rattle away through a serious of standard Death Metal style beats and fills, although snapping into more complex rhythms when called upon. Tracks such as “Entity Of Sickness” and the title track best demonstrate what Nerlich are capable of.

The production is ideal, and retains some of that Finnish magic heard in some of the countries classic old school Death Metal acts. The sound is natural and ferocious, and really gives the “Defabricated Process” its identity. Nerlich do very little wrong here, and the album is as solid a release as you will hear in the genre. There are enough memorable moments across the eight tracks here to keep your attention, and for fans of the genre more than enough to keep you coming back for more.

It’s a shame Nerlich couldn’t continue much longer after “Defabricated Process” as some of the ideas brought forth on tracks such as “Mask for the Faceless” were genuinely brilliant, and I would have loved to have seen it expanded on. Destined to become a lost gem, that just misses classic territory. Nerlich don’t break any new ground here; they do however, provide a solid release that can stand up with the early Technical Death Metal guard. A damn site cooler than the overtly masturbatory crap being passed off as “Tech-Death” these days, I’d 100% recommend checking this out to any Death Metal enthusiast.

Originally written for http://www.metal-observer.com