If you read my grumpy post bitching about the latest Decrepit Birth song then you probably know I had crushed hope for their upcoming release, Polarity. I really do love Decrepit Birth. It’s wanky tech-death that actually flows and isn’t just flashy skill showcasing. I digress, though. I managed to find a leaked track titled “Metatron” on YouTube. Crossing my fingers, I pressed play.
My Thoughts:
The song kicks off in typical Decrepit Birth fashion: guns blazing before busting out some crazy leads that transition into Bill’s growls. This perfect formula (at least to me) had me jizzing within the first 20 seconds. The song also keeps its tempo up, which stays true to this formula that I love. Though the song does not feature all the crazy lead work as Diminishing Between Worlds, their previous album, the angular riffing is just as satisfying. A fair trade I must say. The vocals kick my ass, too. Bill is lower in the mix yet still maintains a monolithic tone, growling at the right times and letting the guitar shine when necessary. To put it shortly, if you’ve heard Decrepit Birth before then you know what’s coming.
It is, however, not without fault. My opinion on the drum production has not changed. The snare is frail and the rest of the drums are artificial. Oh and they’re way too fucking loud. When you’ve got an immaculate drummer like KC at the reigns playing at high BPM, it’s hard to overlook. According to one of the guitarists, they didn’t do anything to it other than run it through some compressors, but whatever the reason, it is an auditory annoyance.
In a sense, “Metatron” sounds like Diminishing Between Worlds with less leads and more riffs. Call it a rehash if you’d like, but I don’t see anything wrong with this style. Don’t fix what isn’t broken, right? As long as it isn’t a carbon copy, I think it’s okay to write similar music. It’s a shame the other song sucks colossal ass because this… this rocks. The fucking Egyptian-sounding solo makes me want Polarity. A LOT.
Give it a listen dewds:
PS: Don’t bother with that link. The website doesn’t even exist so if someone managed to grab the CD-quality version, drop me a line! Or post in the comments! I totally want to add it to my library.
-MK