Labelling themselves a four-piece melodic death metal band based in Manchester, this four track EP is Not Above Evil’s third release to date.
“From The Otherside” opens with a gently picked acoustic part and a bluesy electric guitar, making me wonder how heavy can this band actually be. Well I didn’t have long to wait before Daniel Mucs’s drumming begins and David Gwynn and Damien Levette hit the distortion on their guitars, even though at this stage the song has remained rather slow. As vocalist and bassist Sideeq Mohammed commences his rather abrasive black metalesque rasp, the drum signature doubles and guitar riffs intensify significantly.
The great thrashy riff used on “Tyranny Of The Endless Gaze” accompanied by the popping bass are sadly overpowered by the vocals, then further so during the lead breaks when all other instruments are practically faded out leaving the lead to sound rather tinny and lost on its own.
Another solid riff is used on “Jericho”, but this time it’s allowed to dominate the song far more and everything slows down nicely for the bridge where there are leads from both guitars and the bass before it builds up again to its conclusion.
The double-kick rumbles “On The Wings Of The Earth” along with the quickly changing guitar riff have the song galloping on a full head of steam, and then once again, everything else appears to disappear for the lead.
All in all this is a good EP, it’s just let down a little in the mixing department, but good songs and a solid live presence should probably carry them quite far.
(6/10 Marco Gaminara)
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