Misanthropik Torment - Ecdysis REVIEW

MISANTHROPIK TORMENT is an extreme metal band from Lexington, KY. Their sound is a filthy representation of black, death and thrash—-it all comes together seamlessly for a true visceral vision of contempt for all things wrong with life. There isn't anything shy about their music–nothing is held back and it is all rise. The lyrics are of a similar nature, confronting the evil in the world, screaming out against the very tyranny that makes Earth nothing more than a big ball of shit. Extreme subject matter begs for extreme music. This album is short and to the point–it does what it needs to and then leaves behind broken bodies. Some might want more ‘meat and potatoes’ to their music but this style doesn’t need an hour and a half album with crazy interludes and thirteen minute long songs.

It wouldn't be a complete package without vocals to match this thinking man's insanity. Erik Leviathan's vocals consist of low growls, screams, blackened snarls, and gurgling burps.. He does it all, does it well and comes with a seemingly unending supply of raging energy. "Master and Slave," opens the album without a warning or pretense. From the opening riff, the song goes for the throat. From fast to faster, the song ebbs and flows through a barrage of death metal riffs and passages of blackened speed. Jonathan R.Nesbitt is as capable at the rhythm section as he is at hammering out riffs. The drums and bass are both unreal, in terms of aggression but also how strong of a foundation they hold up despite the unrelenting approach of shredding ear drums.

The title track ",Ecdysis," opens at half speed before fully diving into the rotten waters of the rumbling bass and machine precision of the drums. The guitar riffs direct the song to deep, dark notes to a more open sound as the need arises. I'm of the very firm belief that a title track should always be a banger. Well, this one is a nuclear blast. The opening bass to ,"Somnium Mortuus Est," is groovy, lead heavy and the backbone the song needs to handle the sweltering double bass, the brick heavy guitar done and the swarm of searing vocals.

The movement between 1:48 and 2:10 is the song equivalent to an earthquake—-I challenge anyone to find a more primal, raw and honest moment in this style. The final track, "Karmatic Retribution" is a fine send off—-the band is firing on all cylinders with music that remains stuck inside the head—music this extreme but still memorable and even a little catchy? Yes please. This song just shows that a band doesn't have to be extreme for the sake of it. Putting care and real thought into anything, even flesh peeling death metal, always results in a high quality product.