DISSOLUTION - Natural Selection
June 18, 2014, 9 years ago
(Independent)
Good god damn, I can only hope that our commenting on this Winnnipeg band's last album, the otherwise great Dirt Skies, being a bit too long at 45 minutes had some influence on their decision to keep this one a bit shorter, because at 35 minutes, this is just killer and gives it that extra energy burst over the last. And like last time, the production is pristine, the death metal is melodic, grind-y, and tasteful; I'm hearing more first-wave Gothen-death than Floridian stomp this time around, and these Canucks have the sound down so well you'd think they were transplanted from Sweden. 'Abnormal Appetite' is a great example of how this band is ready for the big leagues, the tune an absolute rager with just a touch of the Floridian sound in the guitar work, but the drumming and vocals pure Swedish gold. 'Falling In Shreds' brings in lots of blastbeats, which is a nice pick-me-up at the album's midpoint. Even though this one is a step up from their last, the band still doesn't quite break the threshold into 8.5 territory: this is incredibly solid, but there's little separating these guys from countless others. Still, at this point they're quick becoming kings of the second tier, which ain't a bad place to be.
