Anata has been around, but have managed to demolish provinces I was not in. This is my first taste of this outfit, and I am certainly fucking glad we have finally been introduced, because they have released one fucking hell of a record. This is some some goddamned bobbing and weaving death metal that ought to please both fans of Brutal US and Technical Euro styles.
To give an idea of what this band can do is kind of difficult to do with any adequacy. The album is a very deft blending of blasting beats and technical runs with well rounded compositions, perhaps reminding me of Cryptopsy more than anyone else, but not precisely. The songs are attention grabbers at every point, moving you through the CD with enough variation and skill that time passes almost unnoticed. They can groove and they can shatter with ease.
The musicianship is impressive, with the bassist doing the chores as a rhythm instrument and a melodic element damn near perfectly. The drummer is as good as anyone I have heard and he has a way of rounding the beats out that compliments as well as moves the music. The guitars have a smattering of Meshuggah and Cryptopsy without simply aping either group, and they know when to just let the chords ring. The singer is a decent death bellower, if nothing out of the ordinary. He certainly gets the job done.
As far as knobturning goes, the sound is beefy and thick, except for the drums which could benefit from a “live”-er sound. You can hear each instrument clearly and distinctly. It’s a very good job that doesn’t hold back or limit the band’s performances, and enhances them nicely.
Bottom line: This is a great release. I would have considered it for the ten best if it were released last year, although I doubt it would have toppled anyone that made it. Still it would have been in there, and I expect it to be nosing around at the end of this year. An exciting blend of musicianship, songwriting and fury, this should keep any death metal headbanger in a daze for a good long time.
