Back in 2009 I reviewed the debut EP from this aptly named Italian act, and came away rather impressed with the heavy, lurching salvo and a after a 4 year wait, a debut full length via Italy’s own Memorial Records album has surfaced and it was well worth the wait.
The band’s moniker fits perfectly as they really don’t fit into one single style of metal, but rather cull from a number of sources, blending them into one hefty, angular, noisy act that is heavy and gifted – a dangerous mix. Personally, I hear some Gojira, some tech death metal (as with the EP, Poland’s Yattering comes to mind) as well as some of the recent acts that blend stuttering thrash and djent such as Stalwart, Synapses, Hybrid, The New Dominion and Devolved. But Unconventional Disruption is much heavier and down-tuned and overall more brutal resulting in a pummeling, heavy display of modern metal that you should definitely check out.
Some may try to shove these guys into a deathcore/djent category with their stuttering, stop/start riffs, down-tuned guitars and super deep vocals, and while Meshuggah on steroids descriptor might be somewhat pertinent, I never felt pure deathcore or djent vibe (though if forced to make a ‘core reference, I might make a comparison to to Ion Dissonance‘s Minus the Herd), but more of a modern experimental death metal aura. There isn’t any breakdowns per say, just this huge, heaving mass of staggering, lurching riffs and blasts layered with cavernous growls and other vicious vocal attacks. It’s all rendered with a super chunky, deep guitar tone and pummeling rhythm section and spidery, jagged songwriting that always leaves you guessing.
After the tortured screams of “Introduction to Euthanasia”, “Getsemani’s Shadow” lumbers into view with a intimidating blast and pummeling percussive assault that’s pretty overbearing. And from there they rarely take their foot off of your throat. Unlike their more contemporary acts, there are no clean segues or atmospherics, just an utterly punishing swathe of choppy, devastating riffs. Struc/tures, Volumes or Sumerian core this is not. Like Vildjharta, this is far more brutal and menacing and far more rooted in tech death metal.
Standouts amid the structured chaos include “Honor of Disgust” with its massive climax, steady heave of “Deformed Souls” and aneurysm causing “Insect’s Grin”, but to be honest this sort of style and album isn’t really about songs or catchy memorable moments, but rather 30 minute salvo of sheer heft. And on that front, Flood to Euthanasia delivers.
