Description

A band like Dying Fetus doesn't rely too heavily on vocals to make an impact. Of course, they do achieve something in the way of shock horror if you've never listened to death metal before this album, 'Killing On Adrenaline', but we're all accustomed to those guttural vocals that really cannot be called anything other than incoherent blasts of noise because that is what they are. Of course, they add to the stigma of death metal vocals, but not much more than that is provided by the vocals. This fact is quite odd considering Dying Fetus actually use two vocalists. One does the gut-wrenching growls, whilst the other is more coherent in sound. Though when you take into consideration the fact that bands like Dying Fetus, who provide lyrics of a slightly less refined nature than popular music acts, the vocals are fitting. Considering the early exploits of this American act were all about inflicting a sense of gore on to the audience, I think Dying Fetus have managed that pretty damn well. Not only are the lyrics gory but so are the vocals. They remind you of horror films you've watched where someone is being slashed to pieces, and although sanity doesn't really suggest you should cheer when someone is mutilated, you do anyway. It's kind of what happens when you listen to this record. Even though the vocals can be considered quite humorous at times, you still find yourself headbanging along in tangent. Why? That would have to go down to Dying Fetus' grasp on the genre. This band has been around since the early 90's, so they've come to terms with what death metal fans want and in the earlier stages of their career, Dying Fetus actually provided that. Gore, mayhem and generally brutality, a word favoured by many death metal fans. So, what makes this album, 'Killing On Adrenaline' brutal? Well, for starters, the title. It's a pretty sick concept to normal society, which is why genres like death metal are shunned away into darkness by the commercial masses. Other than the title and the obvious brutality of the lyrics which tend to range over a varied amount of subjects, from death to killing your mother and raping your dog, the instrumental side to Dying Fetus is action packed enough to be considered brutal. The fast flowing riffs, especially the solos, tend to turn the heat up quite quickly. The tempo of this album is generally quick, which adds to image of Dying Fetus. The percussion element, although muted in sections, is rather out there. It's technical prowess is what keeps it from becoming another part of the blood ridden furniture. Fury driven blasts are coupled with lots of catchy grooves, much like the guitar element to Dying Fetus. It's this catchy nature that makes their music so accessible to the masses. The grooving side to Dying Fetus is a major plus. The tight riffs, executed with extreme precision are the main positive to take away from 'Killing On Adrenaline'. When the album tends to merge, the guitars, mainly anyway, act as the saving grace. 'We Are Your Enemy' and 'Absolute Defiance' are my top picks. Track listing: 1. Killing On Adrenaline 2. Procreate The Malformed 3. Fornication Terrorists 4. We Are The Enemy 6. Kill Your Mother, Rape Your Dog 7. Absolute Defiance 8. Judgement Day 9. Intentional Manslaughter