This French band’s self-titled debut full length had me penning two contrasting reviews upon listening to it. One critiquing the release for being far too similar to mid-era Death and the other commending the musicians involved for attempting to recreate Death inspired technical death metal in their own way. In the end I have compromised and gone for a balance between the two as the song writing and accomplishment have to be acknowledged even if they do skirt the fringes of being a carbon copy of Death at times, not just in the riffing but also the structuring of the tracks and the vocal display.
With a demo released in 2018, all four tracks that were on that demo have been included and re-recorded for this album. However the band has decided to adopt the same cover art that adorned the demo for this album which for some may seem a little on the cheap side especially as it’s not the most amazing piece of cover art I’ve seen on a death metal album, nor the worst I might add either. The band fixation with Death is immediate through the riffing and overall atmosphere generated as ‘Cerberus Brace’ kicks off the release, a track that featured on the bands demo. With a quiet opening and decent build-up the song typifies a semi-technical workout felt through their use of evolving riffs and fluidised tempo changes. With an old school ethos firmly embedded Nervous Decay thrust the listener through a smorgasbord of riffs, some I found really enjoyable and others shaving too close to the bone of original Death material.
Another track from the demo, ‘Daily Poison’ continues the album and here the use of an eerie opening with a sample and voices works to imbibe the song with its own individuality as the lead breaks are pure Chuck through and through done with pristine self-assurance. Lengthy and instilled with a sense of complexity ‘Mirrors Of Pain’ has an epic feel, with each passing second laced with melody, though I found the over exerted drumming annoying at times, creating a chaotic ethos to this song and on others too, as though the drummer is vying for dominance in the song. Their namesake track, ‘Nervous Decay’ should have omitted the intro sequence as it is far too long and detracts from the enjoyment of the song overall which has sporadic blast sections to enhance the brutality where required.
The last three tracks on the album follow the same formula as ‘Shield Of Delusion’ opens this trio, without an intro thankfully, instead bursting into life immediately. Here we get Nervous Decay stamping their own authority utilising a backing clean vocalisation I found interesting and would like to have heard more of as the song develops smoothly brandishing a pounding beat to really get your teeth into. ‘Doomsday Clock’ is their penultimate tune, one that was also on the demo, as by now their overt relationship with Death has become normalised as this track sees the drumming become hectic again. Closing the album is ‘Lobotomy’, shorter and more focused the song takes time to gel due to the drumming style, which you’ll either appreciate the technicality of or find it irritating after a while. Being much faster and with an increase in intensity the song has a more comfortable listening experience due to its brutality and, of course, the proficient musicianship which as I said has to be commended. I did appreciate the lulling serenity in the song showcasing the bands dexterity before its violent climax.
Unashamedly similar to Death, Nervous Decay are trying to be the French version of that seminal act and whilst not quite on a par with Death’s unparalleled genius this is a confident stab at recreating their own tracks in a similar vein.
(7/10 Martin Harris)
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