TECHNICAL MUSIC REVIEW
The tech death freaks have returned with a sophomore release that may have just topped their debut Immortal. Now if you have the cash to buy a watered down coffee, you can buy your favorite bands music to keep them up and running especially if it’s direct not through a label…..don’t be a jerk. Now with my artistic point of view “buy your music” rant out of the way lets get to some killer technical death metal.
The Alterbeast gentlemen are based out of California signed on Unique Leader records. Feast was just released today February 23rd 2018. I heard it on the way into work today, on the way back home and another spin through since I got home…..and I’ve heard the lead single “Apex Night Eclipse” a handful of times since its release not too long ago. I think it’s safe to say I’ve had enough time to digest this monstrous album and been listening to it today in my travels on repeat with nothing else getting in its ferocious way. Immortal was an impressive debut, but honestly have to say Feast is equally or just as impressive.
For the extreme fans you will notice right away 1 of the 9 tracks is not an original…….yes, they covered DISSECTION! And good grief did they slay it……stereotypically speaking lots of new bands don’t always credit past artists/bands but this is awesome to see for a new band to the music scene. They covered “Where Dead Angels Lie” that would have definitely made the Dissection guys very happy.
Fretboard wise……these guys make me want to put down a guitar. They seriously have obnoxiously amazing guitar work. There are parts of their songs that actually hold a groove but honestly half the time they’re ripping super quick licks on super quick speed. It’s like they would rather be all over the guitar rather than hold a groove just LISTENING to their songs makes my hands hurt as a fellow guitarist. The whole album is a relentless onslaught of heaviness and over the top technicality that you just can not possibly get bored at all. They definitely have overdone themselves on this release without a doubt.
They are currently on a killer tour to support Feast….if they are coming to your town don’t skip out on them. They had the amazing Kennedy Veil support them through the 20th of February……Inferi is another great technical band you should listen to on this tour through the 16th of March. And yes, the mighty Grindmother is the opening act all tour long who is that badass Canadian grandma that yells about what pisses her off in 1 minute grind core offerings.
Now you can’t always go through a technical or progressive album without some form of experimentation. To cleanse your palettes there are a few moments where there are clean keyboard melodies at points throughout a few of the the songs which is a nice changeup.
Over the years as a guitarist I had learned to appreciate the rhythm sections of bands more and more especially my latter years as I have done some (not fully but still getting there) growing up musically expanding my tastes. Their drummer is a serious nut job and I also don’t mean that in a negative manner same for calling them freaks they are out of this world talented. There’s many sections where their drummer is blasting then plays these super fast fills on the toms like it’s just another day in the office. There’s many great drum sections throughout the album that add a ton of flavor to this great record.
I was already convinced when “Apex Night Eclipse” was released that this would be a top record of the new year. It is not even March yet, and I totally feel not much if anything could weaken this beast (terrible pun!). The only two that most likely won’t disappoint and rival this are the upcoming offerings from Beyond Creation and Obscura which are two of the best technical death metal bands…..absolutely great company for a newer tech band to be in company with,
Trust me on this one…..stop reading this article and just go buy it. Put in many hours at work and buy the crap out of their merchandise and get the album. These guys deserve to be at the top tier of the technical music world especially with this record.
Feast your ears on yesterday’s early full album stream from Decibel Magazine. Glad to say I own this record with a huge smile. Then go buy it damnit!
Originally published on Technical Music Review. Republished with permission.
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