Kicking off my review account for November has been a double gruesome German death metal assault of the highest order that begins with Berlin act Dehuman Reign who I am already familiar with on their previous two releases. Their debut EP ‘Destructive Intent’ which I reviewed back in 2013, was a stalwart release that saw a band finding their own niche within the massively expanding death metal scene back then, but it was the band’s obliterating debut full length ‘Ascending From Below’ in 2016 that really garnered attention with a barbarity and intent few could match. All of the band members have been active in other acts and that experience has obviously paid dividends as this sophomore release capitalises on that experience plus the impact of the debut for an album that is penetrating and pulverising from start to finish, allowing for the occasional interlude here and there.
Opening the album is ‘Perish Or Subdue’ where an abrasive guitar sound carves crevices of corrosive malice enhanced by the machine gun like blasting. The squealing lead break fits well to the maniacal delivery as the vocals have an enveloping roar that just seem to completely surround you as though attacking you from all directions. ‘Kill To Live’ follows quickly with no let-up in pace as the concussive blasting has a Suffocation like aura to it. However I did like the sleaze like riffing deployment where the double kick loading enables the song to have that trace of catchiness.
‘Serenade To The Blood Moon’ has a fine fade-in with distorted guitar work allowing the drums to have focus right before unleashing a formidable double bass cannonade. Everything is linked to fluidised tempo changes as the blasted sections morph smoothly to the slower more catchy sections and back again as the track is followed by the interlude ‘Prelude To Aberration’ one of three on the album that basically dissects the album into quarters.
‘Obscure Affliction’ and ‘Repay Your Debt In Blood’ are relentless death metal onslaughts, where the vocals did remind me of Frank Mullen (Suffocation) for their tone, especially on the former tune. What this band does remarkably well is inject cool riff breaks that demarcate their songs with savage transitions especially on the latter where the unrelenting speed is tempered by those demarcations. After another short interlude the songs become a tad longer as the scraping grating riff of ‘Caputo’ greets you. The mid-tempo pacing situates the song in the relatively slower bracket and for me it didn’t quite hit the mark. However ‘Eternity’s Embrace’ returns the album to full cranium smashing ferocity, where the constantly morphing riff changes seem never ending but in a good way. But it is the ultra-cool beat I particularly liked here, it is addictive as the song leads into the final interlude and closing doublet of tracks.
‘Project G.E.C.U.’ is a demented tune, intense and insane the song is a frenzied demolition and contrasts hugely with the closer ‘Self Induced Mass Extinction’ which also happens to be the longest song. The slower and doomier atmosphere is excellent, producing a claustrophobic density that gradually intensifies. The riff change is expected of course as the speed increases dramatically with devastating power careering the song to its finale.
Old school death metallers can add another band to their already full armouries as Dehuman Reign return to battle with their awesome second album ready to massacre the world.
(8.5/10 (Martin Harris)
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