Strike.Smother.Dehumanize

5 long years after crushing enemies underfoot to the tune of "Behold. Total. Rejection", war metal standouts, Revenge, return with a new bloodthirsty mantra and reinvigorated contempt for the opposition. Strike. Smother. Dehumanize

Those familiar with the sound of Revenge won't exactly be suprised by the elements at work here (anyone unfamiliar is in for a merciless bludgeoning) but may take notice of the new songwriting formulas that really shake things up. There is a much greater focus on (somewhat) accessible songwriting on this album with more memorable ups, downs, twists, and turns with plenty of death metal riffs for pit fodder. Fear not legionairres of the Anti-Christ, this is still a fvkking Revenge record through and through, complete with some of the most feral vocalizations, maniacal drumming, and raw elements found in war metal. The beauty within this sharp pile of nails are the bleak and merciless aesthetics paired with the bestial riffs and drum rhythms that could inspire indiscriminate killing even in the most peaceful of souls. Listeners looking for any amount clean singing or melodic riffs should definitely look elsewhere.

Highlights among the blitzkrieg include one of the best songs I think the band has wrote in years, "Salvation Smothered (Genocide of Flock)" , and shows off the greater songwriting elements present and comes together to form a total roller coaster of a track. Influences from other genres are somewhat present on songs like "Excommunication" featuring some death n roll guitars and sudden break into groove on "Reign Power (Above All Born)". The small break in the middle of "Oath Violator" leads to one of the best riffs and breakdowns on the album and makes the listener truly feel in the middle of a war party, locked into a murderous trance, ready to exterminate weaklings with extreme prejudice. Overall, the tracks are filled to the brim with all the quality blast beats, vocal growls/shrieks, and blackened death riffs we have come to expect from Vermin and James Read but perhaps more intuitively organized this time around.

The mix is rather quiet compared to many modern day productions but allows the music to sound more dynamic, raw, and "alive" so to speak. The music can also be played on a speaker pretty fucking loud without getting a headache affer two tracks because the volume is allowed to flow up and down on its' own instead of being overly compressed and "brickwalled" to hell.

This album is a sharp return for the band and features some new tricks from an old dog that can drawn in even casual listeners of death metal towards something far more spastic, crazed, and rabid than what they may be accustomed to.