Bestial Manifestations of Malevolence and Death

The phrase “Kaiju-themed metal band” probably brings to mind a sound built mostly on a slow, stomping pace and ominous riffs that lumber forward like Godzilla wading through Tokyo. Oxygen Destroyer, which takes its lyrical inspiration entirely from monsters like Godzilla and Gigan, avoids such an obvious approach, barreling forward through most of their debut with a relentless, bestial drive that feels more like the musical embodiment of a leaner, more unpredictable monster. Oxygen Destroyer is an agile outfit, its deathrash onslaught proving more nimble than Godzilla and his bulky brethren but no less devastating.

This Seattle wrecking crew's debut Bestial Manifestations of Malevolence and Death is all muscle and no fat, even if the same can't be said of their verbose song titles. A few samples from various kaiju movies notwithstanding, this album is nothing but hearty, visceral riffs. The band dedicates itself to continually slathering on the carnage, assaulting us with a continuous stream of riffs that call deathrash luminaries like Morbid Saint to mind. The riffs have a dark character as the tremolos that make most of them up unfurl to resemble their menacing grandeur. In order to maintain a level of aggression truly worthy of the band's lyrical themes, Oxygen Destroyer switches up its means of attack constantly. Sure, they rarely veer from fast, thrash-laden death metal but they never stay with one riff for very long. Before anyone can fully settle into any of these rhythms, the band pulls the rug out from under your feet and sideswipes you with a new one.

Despite the sheer volume of musical ideas here, the band keeps things trim. Though 'Cleansing the Earth of Humanity's Existence' cycles through quite a few riffs as it builds the pressure up in anticipation of Jordan Farrow taking the mic about three minutes in, none of the other songs take the scenic route. They spring into action right away, don't bother with lengthy buildups or interludes, and don't waste any time in switching from one riff to the next. The songs don't repeat themselves all that much either. The album's most memorable tremolo line appears a few times in 'Onslaught of the Precambrian Hordes' and manages to burrow its way into your head the way catchy hooks do. Other riffs and leads get repeated of course but there’s not a single one that overstays its welcome. Oxygen Destroyer doesn’t dwell on anything longer than they need to and their commitment to turning on a dime means they're constantly pulling you violently one way and then knocking you in another direction.

This sort of sonic intensity wouldn't be possible without spirited performance and Bestial Manifestations, etc. certainly has those in abundance. These riffs and tremolos are played with passion as Farrow and Joey Walker rip through the songs and sound no less energetic in the few moments when they slow the pace to a crawl, err, I mean stomp. Meanwhile, on the drum kit, Chris Craven ties everything together with his quick rhythms and throws in frequent fills and changes to keep things from getting predictable.

Bestial Manifestations, etc is an impressive find. The band loads its debut down with all the aggression and hyperspeed insanity of Morbid Saint’s Spectrum of Death or Kreator’s Pleasure to Kill but is more nimble than either. Despite the band’s fury, their attack is not a monolithic one of unrefined speedy thrashing. The band's approach remains calculated. Their songs pound away at you relentlessly but, amid all the sonic violence, the band is still fully capable of adjusting its approach without warning to keep up the intensity.