Arkaik / Sarcolytic / Serial Butcher - Unique Leader Release Round Up

2009 was a pretty quiet year for Unique Leader, when compared with their usual regular release schedule. That schedule has been tightly packed in 2010 with releases from Die, Deivos, Devolved, The Ordher, and the mighty Hour of Penance, already hitting the distros and vying for your cash. Hour of Penance aside, the releases so far this year which piqued my interest are those from Arkaik, Serial Butcher, and Sarcolytic. It is these that will be covered in this review, in ascending order of quality.

Arkaik - Reflections Within Dissonance

Arkaik have a lot going for them. They have the Par Ollofsen artwork (which is very similar to his piece used by The Faceless for Planetary Duality), musically they're as tight as the lid on that damn jar that even though you're now a grown up, you still have to get your Dad to open, they're copiously skilled at playing guitar, bass, drums, and the production is pristine. They play a brand of modern Brutal Death which, to cut to the chase, sounds like a cut price Origin after a Morbid Angel listening binge. Most importantly, despite the aforementioned attributes, they lack any pizazz to make them endearing - no pwning riffs or hooks, it's not even that intense. Sure the vocals are aggro but they're one dimensional, the drumming is flawlessly executed but lacks urgency and sounds stilted. Actually, the Origin comment doesn't cover what's on offer here, they are but one influence, and at times it reminds of Severed Savior's Servile Insurrection but without the compositional ability, worse still it is reminiscent of similarly disappointing albums from Odious Mortem (Cryptic Implosion) and Neuraxis (Trilateral Progression and The Thin Line Between both). It's just so expletive-ing sterile. End of.

<5.0>

Sarcolytic - Thee Arcane Progeny

I've been looking forward to this Sarcolytic album, well since that self-titled EP they put out Lacerated Enemy a few years ago, but their performance at Mountains of Death last year certainly renewed my interest. I'm happy to report that Thee Arcane Progeny actually goes far enough to exceed expectations in that this is no way is Disgorge v2.0, or Texa-gorge, and anyone who labels this as straight Brutal Death or Technical Brutal Death has missed a trick, and certainly overlooked an aspect which has kept this album on heavy rotation for me these last few months. I'll concede it has Ricky Myers behind the kit and his sound and feel is unmistakable, and of course it is still Brutal and Techie, but here Sarcolytic chart depths which weren't even hinted at on that EP. This is quasi-epic progressively inclined Death Metal which exudes an other-worldliness that only a hint of Black Metal can provide, and is often akin to when Norwegian acts flexed their Death Metal influences, most notably Myrkskog and Emperor. Ladies and Gentlemen, we shall know them as Disnorge! This amalgam of Brutal Death intensity, and Black Metal scope and feel reaches its absolute apex on "Emissary" which sees the best elements of high end tremolo picking, introspective chords combined with a serpentine bass line, technicality, blasting and gravitying intensity and a guest spot from Luc Lemay for the absolute cherry on the cake. It should've been the closing track as everything after that is an anti-climax, although still far above average. This is no one dimensional Blast, Tech-wank, or low brow Brutality-fest, on the contrary it's a welcome breath of fresh air in the Death Metal landscape.

<7.9>

Serial Butcher A Crash Course in Cranium Crushing

The Sarcolytic tickled parts that most Death Metal bands do not reach. The alliteratively titled debut from Belgium's Serial Butcher sees us on much more familiar territory. Straight forward Blasting Death played with pace and some of hottest riffs to come off a fret board anywhere in the world recently. Damn it's just so much fun to listen to and will have you doing the Frank Mullen hand chop thing in no time. It is so accomplished I assumed it must be the work of hands from various notable acts. But no. And they're Belgian! I didn't see that one coming! I probably would've guessed Dutch as it's undeniably Northern European in feel - heavy on the Cannibal Corpse, touching on Vader at times, but generally sounding not quite American. A more Technicolor Severe Torture perhaps. I'll tell you what'll have you doing a double take though, and that is the sterling lead work which has James Murphy's sound and style down to a tee. It is uncanny, and had me checking the liner notes to see whether he'd lent a hand, but no, the plaudits must go to Nico Veroeven (who's actually their drummer!). Arkaik show that you can have so many boxes ticked and still miss the point, but Serial Butcher hit the spot with superior riffs, and a performance that could careen out of control at any point. And they make it look so easy! I find it bizarre that even after all these years listening to Extreme Metal that something can still take you aback and make you go "Fuck, that's fast!" This album does just that and has you smiling, head banging, and throwing the horns all the way.

<8.0>

June 30, 2010

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