For some reason this German act is tagged as being deathcore and whilst there are tenets of that genre this second album is closer to death metal overall. The overriding deathcore facet lies within the vocals that possess that deep bark and frenzied screech the genre has, as the release initiates with the oxymoronic titled “Completely Incomplete” and a deluge of double bass that is a little too clicky for my taste, but no less powers up the tracks vitriolic riffing base. The opener contains a surprising calm piece that drifts into a post-metal guise which enables the song to manifest variety, as the title track returns to an onslaught of deathly annihilation. The quirky bridging riff really catches your attention producing a catchy feel laced with sporadic blasting fury.
This album is rife with fluctuations in tempo and mood as whilst “Rotten Soul” punishes the listener with an avalanche of drum work amplified by the frenetic blasting sortie, it also plunges into a slower more pulverising death metal approach backed by a very tuneful lead break. After a brief ambient interlude the release returns to the incendiary bedlam on “…The Ashen One”, but here like before the song is tempered by melodic riff snippets that enhance the texture of the song. I must admit this album has took a while to embed for me, but now that it has the whole opus is awash with ideas where deft guitar work is stirred into relentless battering as on “Not For Sale” which detonates on starting with a vicious blasting affront.
Tempering the velocity is “Your God Failed”, well for a brief moment anyway, before the eruption of speed which creates a manic delivery. The slower more thunderous approach I particularly enjoyed with “Crying Leaves” perfectly exemplifying this as the song charges in with double kick, but I did find the constantly screeching vocal line a tad irritating but is a minor point and down to personal preference. Closing this sophomore is the more eclectic “Forsaken” with its opening tuneful hook submitting to a remorseless blast beat. The songs chaotic furore is saturated in melody as it delves into a slower piece yet retaining a formidable density right before it dives headlong into a very melodic section that is highly emotive with the excellent lead work, and so ends this diverse and compelling release by Pesterous Mind.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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