This is the first time I’ve heard Fleshdoll – a French death metal crew from Toulouse. This is their fourth full length and on the strength of it I’m defo gonna be checking out their back catalogue. This is ten tracks of dark & deathly barbarity that gets better with every listen.
Kicking off with the instrumental ‘2084’, which showcases some pretty gnarly bass guitar work from Judas – this short track is darkly atmospheric, melodic yet sinister and sets the tone nicely for the rest of the album. ‘In Articulo Mortis’ is up next and continues in the same vein with some very cool, technical riffing and classy solos. The abrasive vocal bark from Bastich suits the music down to a tee too.
‘World Of Terror’ seduces and batters you with its merciless groove driven assault and ‘Soundtrack to Extinction’ sounds like exactly that.
The title track – ‘Blood Red District’ is a technical tour de force but far from disappearing up its own arse, it drags you down a helter skelter of melodic riffage with some funky time changes and killer drumming. It’s tracks like this that keep you coming back for more with this record.
Tracks like ‘Blind Winter Light’ and ‘Dogs On Drugs’ (Surely one of the best track titles of the year) keep up the good work, constantly keeping you guessing and refusing to allow the listener to slip into complacency. Album closer ‘Maelstrom’ is a brooding six minute epic which creeps up on you and bludgeons you with its complex rhythms and Bastich’s best vocal performance on the album.
For the entire ten tracks Fleshdoll have crafted a wickedly different death metal album, something that really stands out as soon as you play the first song. Atmospheric without being ‘wafty’, technically brilliant without being ‘wanky’ and melodic too. Well worth investing in.
(8/10 Mark Eve)
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