Labels: Apocaplexy – Throatruiner
Review by: Alex Deller
Had it in mind that this lot would play some sort of jagged, Converge-ish hardcore, and while there are broad elements of that whole sound at play here Death Engine are actually quite a few steps removed. Their brand of angst-ridden abrasion roils and howls in a state of near-constant turmoil, the band fashioning a smothering wall of negative sound that recalls certain acts who draw from black metal without wholeheartedly impaling themselves on the genre’s horns. Elsewhere there’s the occasional whiff of noise-rock, bouts of splenetic post-hardcore and more than the odd nod to Envy (though, to be fair I think that about roughly 95% of the hardcore bands claiming black metal as inspiration…), all of which keeps things dynamic, interesting and in a supple state of flux. Regardless of the direction from which it’s assailing you, though, ‘Mud’ offers a battering that’s always a pleasure to withstand, from relentless clangour to teetering climaxes that are both rousing and loaded with nerve-jangling tension it’s all there, and it’s all a bit bloody good.