Domination Through Impurity is the brainchild of guitarist/bassist/vocalist Joe Payne, who has served in Divine Heresy, Lecherous Nocturne, Lust of Decay and Nile. He’s aided by drummer Jordan Varela (Lust of Decay , Lividity). The duo’s material reminds me a little of the saturated late ’90s and early ’00s US death metal that was being kicked out on labels like Forever Underground, United Guttural, JL America and Pavement en masse, such as Internecine, Divine Empire, Divine Rapture, Unholy Ghost, Diabolic, Pessimist and such: Clinically and impeccably performed but lacking in character and soul — despite some solid moments here and there.

Undoubtedly Payne and Varela can handle their instruments as the album, for the most part, borders on technical death metal with a voracious pace and delivery. Majority of the material, however, is the standard precise US death metal kicked out by the above labels and bands. However, throughout Masochist there are a few moments that made my ears perk up and pay attention, and it’s a shame they didn’t parley these moments into more of a complete album.

Once you get over the mechanical, robotic production and the album’s initial blasting facelessness, the album starts to pick up around the third track “Path to Righteousness” where the opening chant gets your attention as does the melodic lead solo a couple of minutes in. The heaving groove, showing how the duo can deliver something more memorable than sheer tech mayhem, helps too. The Morbid Angel-ish “The Dead Within” and the rest of the album then go on to deliver a very competent, loud and at times rather above average modern death metal record that reveals much more than it initially presents with each layer and listen. Including instrumental number “”The Cruel Hand of Fate”, “Becoming One”, “Less Than Human” and “Bleeding the Damned” (and its very surprising melodic solo), the album ends up being a pretty solid, compactly delivered and tight death metal listen by the time it’s over.

It’s a shame Von Young (Lividity) is ceasing Epitomite Productions as he’s released some solid , under the radar stuff over the years such as Cardiac Arrest, Angerpath, Dead for Days, The Monolith Deathcult re-issue, Abacinate’s latest, as well as this decent slab of US death metal.

But on their follow-up, Genesis (are these guys obsessed with Job For a Cowboy or something?), the band’s latest effort and possibly their last due to the death of vocalist Jason Sica, is a vastly improved effort that joins the many ranks of deathcore bands that are taking a more streamlined and effective death metal approach.

At the heart of Abacinate’s improvement is the vocalist Sica, who took over for Ian Neal, before passing last September. His memory should be indelibly engrained in Genesis as it’s a forceful, blast furnace vocal display that elevates Abacinate’s presence. And even though the sound is still one that’s rooted in hardcore, an increased sense of urgency, variety and skill make Genesis a much more enjoyable listen than Ruination.

I’d say recent releases by The Famine or Salt the Wound are viable comparisons as far as solid, if hardly groundbreaking American deathcore/death metal goes; a tangible Black Dahlia Murder backbone with slicing, sharp riffage with dual rasps/growls. But where Abacinate differ is their breakdowns. Where most of their peers are content to render forced death metal lurches, Abacinate return to their hardcore roots with grooves that resemble something Hatebreed, Built Upon Frustration or Full Blown Chaos might deliver.

Where Ruination was a forgettable affair from start to finish, two songs into Genesis, “Disturbing Remedies for as Desperate Disease”, where the tracks lumbering start and slicing melodic climax is better than anything on the Ruination combined. Then “Purveyors of Scum” follows that impressive track up with a huge lurch and lope and blistering riff, and even though it takes a sneering chant, hardcore tangent mid-song, it all works somehow due to the palpable conviction and delivery and Sica. The oddly named but fierce “Necroplunger” continues the decent quality of tracks as does the neat little solo that arises in “A Harmless Walk” and massive grooves that litter “An American Obsession”. On the other hand, I have to admit the album’s last quarter, featuring an oddly bluesy instrumental duo “Laughing in the Dark pt 1 and 2”, tends to get a bit ‘samey’ and lose my attention a little bit.

It’s a shame the band is now on hold, as there was some promise here, even if the band was competing against loads of similar sounding bands. Still, Genesis remains something that Abacinate can be proud of and it’s definitely a worthwhile legacy for Sica.

So how do you get in on this crazy offer?! Sell your kidneys? Pfftt. Give us your soul? We already have it! No.

All you need to do is just fill out the form below and you might get one of the following prize packs:

Grand Prize

Lividity – To Desecrate and Defile

Domination through Impurity – Masochist

The Monolith Deathcult – The White Crematorium 2.0

Impetigo – Live Total Zombie Gore Holocaust

Epitomite  Productions T-shirt

2nd Prize

Cardiac Arrest – Cadaverous Presence

Viscera Trail – Humiliation Ridden Evisceration

Symphony in Acrimony – Soul Celestial Saga

Epitomite  Productions T-shirt

3rd Prize

Angerpath – Forgotten World

Dead for Days – Dissociate from Reality

Epitomite  Productions T-shirt

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CONTEST HAS ENDED, WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED SOON!

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DISCLAIMER: Three winners will be picked randomly. The winners will be notified personally via email. Your personal details will only be used to deliver the CD to you and will not be shared with 3rd parties. Teeth of the Divine, nor Epitomite Productions take any responsibility over packages lost or stolen in the mail. Teeth of the Divine staff members are not eligible.

Contest ends when there’s no form to fill or submit. The form will be removed at some point during October 4th.