Brutal Death is something the kids are all into these days (as well as grindcore) but with this latest Afterbirth release, I don’t so much mind it. Although I’ve made fun of Will Smith’s (not the slap one) vocal approach here, It’s definitely not something that just anyone can do when it comes to this genre. The man still sounds like a gurgling monstrosity and he damn well should. Though what makes Afterbirth different from a lot of the records in this genre is their attention to detail. The record is described as progressive and it fits. In But Not Of shows many bands (who desperately need it) that the genre can progress beyond basic brutal death and slam. I think more of those have gone in and out of my ears than those new “Snickers White” bars, which are the best things ever (white chocolate, peanuts and caramel are truly fucking heaven).
Speaking of candy, Afterbirth are one of those bands that happen to generate proper ear candy for anyone who likes music that thinks out of the box. I know you all so loved Tomb Mold this year, but I found The Enduring Spirit very expectable and discarded it. However, although Gorguts built the foundation that Afterbirth are currently building up on, they’ve built a weird grimy thing that still sounds kinda beautiful. Even if you’re not into Will Smith’s vocal approach, you can’t tell me that this thing isn’t a beast in the instrumental department.
Let me tell you why this is so entirely different than the dreck you get in this genre today. It’s because of Cody Drasser. According to Metal Archives, (Yes, I still use it) Afterbirth is the only metal band he’s ever played in, so many of these riff styles aren’t coming directly from metal. They’re coming from other kinds of music entirely. Remember kids, when I told you to diversify your musical palettes? This is why. Afterbirth sound like something altogether different and I’m loving it. “Hovering Human Head Drones” is one example of that, because you don’t hear Rush go right into Brutal Death that often and trust me, I’m not upset about it. In fact, this is how we evolve the whole damn genre (and no, not in the Sarmat “Let’s just throw paint at the wall and see what sticks approach.”
Structure can be noticed easily from drummer Keith Harris, who really holds up the band. Drumming is supposed to provide a good foundation, but when you go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver a performance that has me air-drumming while I’m at the job, you’ve caught my attention. There are only four guys in this band, but they’ve made it sound like several (Slipknot, if you’re listening?) while at the same time showcasing a progressive performance that wows as much as it slaughters. You’re not just moshing around and banging your head, you’re left utterly speechless by certain sections of this horrifyingly beautiful work of art.
