Deformation of Humanity

I’m going to be honest here. I only just found out about the band whilst scrolling the upcoming releases on Encyclopedia Metallum. The name is purely what drew me to this band of which I’ve never heard (I’m a phlebotomist and we jokingly refer to a poorly performed blood draw as “phlebotomizing” the patient). I was expecting nothing much of the relase, so maybe that was why this album absolutely blew me into smithereens. It has a little of something for everyone. There’s shredding moments, there’s somber passages, there’s tasty guitar leads and solos, varied drumming, a range of vocals, cinematic elements, and a whirlwind of various emotions evoked. The first listen made me just liked it but all subsequent listens has made me fall in love (I’m on my fifth as of this writing).

You’ll immediately notice the consistent use of keyboards. They work so well on nearly every song, regardless of what style of playing is being used. The keyboard teeters dangerously close to 80's synth but only once or twice times, like on "Desideratum" when it kicks in or on “Descend to Deviance”. Those moments are the cheapest/weakest elements on the release and my only real complaint. I’m just tired of the 80’s throwback synth sections. It was amazing when Disasterpiece nailed the score to It Follows from 2014 but every Stranger Things (2016) knockoff has an unnecessary 80's dark synth track which naturally then also bleeds into the writing style of many musicians. Please, just stop. It never goes full Summer of '84 (2018) or It (2017) here. There is a wide range of what they keys do. Sometimes they lean Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth. Other times they nod to Emperor or maybe Fleshgod Apocalypse. Needless to say, they really hit the mark in the keys section, other than the aforementioned throwback synth sections. Many gothic passages with a... Umm, Euro-pop/house section on "Desideratum". Fortunately the rest of the band doesn’t explicitly tie itself to what they keys are doing. The drums are played in a bold fashion many a time; like a rolling snare and bass kick only section smack dab in the middle of a measure. He seems to be fine taking risks, and they really work. Some sections are handled with care utilizing more standard beats, but sometimes he steps out of its comfort zone and impresses me. Great solo on "Chambre Ardente" and on “Eyes on the Prize”. The prior doesn't impress much but is soulful, epic, morose, yet hopeful, all at the right times and in the right amount. It starts at 6:17 and is one of the most epic moments on the album, which is saying a lot. That song in particular is amazing all around. The palm-muting on some of the songs are completely audible. It makes for an interesting sound. It's probably just played sloppily but I like it. Listen for it at 7:16 one of the tracks I just mentioned, "Chambre Ardente". There is an insanely catchy vocal pattern in the chorus of "Descend to Deviance" and most of the time the vocals offer something interesting to keep you coming back. The dual vocals remind me, at times, of The Black Dahlia Murders dual vocals from their first two releases, Unhallowed and Miasma, respectively. This is most obvious on “Chambre Ardente”. It’s not a carbon-copy but reminiscent. I really like the vocals overall, no matter the style being used.

This album has that Gothenburg melo-death vibe at times. It's not a new sound that they've made but it's a effectively employed. Certain moments make me feel like being frantically lost in a haunted mansion. Like a higher-strung At the Gates with far more orchestration (and far better than At The Gates monotonous recent release). There are some unique moments that incorporate some light time signature play, but most of it is within the confines of standard timing. It never fully veers into the progressive spectrum. "Eyes on the Prize" offers up a more true-to-the-style death metal experience but still with Carch Angren-style orchestration. It's odd because of how heavily the keyboard is utilized yet the playing style is not like your normal band that uses this much keys. This is a very somber album. I don’t want to say hopeless, but it's a downer in many parts. I have no problem with this, of course. If you didn’t catch it by “Desideratum”, then you’ll get the full experience there (Until that shitty euro pop passage at 2:24). Some of the songs tend to be on the longer side but they never once feel drug out or even attempt to overstay their welcome. I love how many miscellaneous instruments are used and they all work. There's the heavy keys/organ/synth, there's a trumpet section on the opener, violin on "My Dear,...". I respect when bands do that. It makes me think of the most recent releases of Satyricon or The Faceless, but here is less a one-off gimmick and the songs rely more on these instruments. I hate to say it, but I get nostalgia flashbacks to the band dance Club Massacre, especially the album Circle of Death. It's a terrible comparison until you listen to the title track. I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories of the 2006 death core scene. I feel dirty even bringing it up because this band is not death core at all or relies on those sort of trappings.

Get ready to kick down the door of 2019 with a banger of an album!

Favorite tracks:
--Descend to Deviance
--Chambre Ardente
--Deformation of Humanity
--My Dear,…
--Until the End (Instrumental)

Technical Skill: 87% Originality: 89% Song writing: 94% Production: 90% Accessibility: 80%