Released: Sep 15, 2009
Genre: Technical death metal
Label: Relapse
Number Of Tracks: 8
After listening to the whole thing, the songs have such a groove to them that you can't get out of your head.
Descend Into Depravity
Reviewed by:
EpiExplorer, on march 30, 2010 2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Sound: When I hear technical death metal, I always think of a massive blur of well-made but chaotic noise that just goes straight through my ears. Case in point: Brain Drill. For all their technical mastery of sweeps and gravity rolls, it borders on what guitarists would call 'guitar w**kery' and is quite a lot for someone to take in.
However, I see this album as a slightly toned down approach, in the same way that a 50 ton weight loses 10 tons, its still very very heavy. By this I mean that Dying Fetus keep to a more riff based idea with complex fills rather than just throwing everything together in sweeps and solos.
While most technical death metal doesn't really break many boundaries, save Meshuggah, Dying Fetus still throw in some pounding metal to shake anyones skeleton. Their general sound is close to Necrophagist, although rather than focus on complex time signitures and changes as well as the riffs to go with them, Dying Fetus have a more straight forward bulldozer type style to main riffs although they are heard quite a bit throughout the album. Fills, on the other hand, are monumental. Up until this record, the only few fills I'd really heard that were truly brilliant were the verse riff fill from Scar Symmetry's Holographic Universe and from Xeraths Alterra. But I think the song from this album 'Shepherds Commandment' sets the new bar for me.
The band themselves are obviously no slouches: The guitarist is very good at keeping his fills and shreds to the right amount so as not to drag on something absurd, the drummer puts in his parts in all the right places and the bassist is absolutely absurd. One particular highlight is the solo from 'Your Treachery Will Die With You' which is a truly astonishing peice of neo-classical shredding.
Only qualms I have with the album is the over emphasis on being 'so heavy we can blow yer head through'. But make no mistake: This isnt any cheesy deathcore band that just adds volume to all the instruments and variates between just 5 chords. While deathcore focuses on just being 'br00tal' heavy noise, Dying Fetus just throws in pure musical skill and still ends up being heavier. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: As a death metal outfit, vocals are purely growls and roars while may sound a little generic a lot of the time, still add more than detract from the album. Although as most death metal bands go, lyrics are usually very basic and don't really involve around much other than general mutilation and lots of death with shiny objects. However, 'Descend into Depravity' has a more mature look on lyrics. An example from Shepards Commandment shows:
Everyone thinks like me
We must be are own sheep
Silence all our critics
Dissent can't have a place
Exile them underground
The song seems to be about a silent organization that influences the ideas and the courses of the lives of humans. If anything this is more of a focus on politics and social slavery rather than the usual run-of-the-mill destructive blood letting and mass disembowlment which is commenplace in the death metal/goregrind scene.
So although not groundbreaking or truly different (like Cynic with a vocoder), its a definite step up rather than going nowhere. // 6
Impression: On first hearing of Dying Fetus, I thought it would be just more mind-mulching ear burning, but a lot of the time (for this album at least) its pretty organized and coherent.
Of course the main reason why I like it is the huge neo-classical influence and their skill rather than the overt heaviness. I really don't see many bands falling into the same style as Dying Fetus, although bands like Necrophagist, Brain Drill, possibly Origin and not quite Meshuggah would be a close bet. I don't particularly listen to death metal constantly, its more of a few songs a day sort of thing. Mostly because, after a while, it becomes just a little overwhelming and begins to border on being noise. However, I'm undoubtedly sure that many people aren't like me at all, and do prefer this as a source and sort of music.
I've listened to the album a few times now, although I don't particularly want to buy it (just cuz, I have enough death metal anyway), I do recommend it to anyone at all who prefer this sort of skullmushing death metal. Oh, and they sound nothing like Whitechapel. // 8
Descend Into Depravity
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on march 30, 2010 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: I am a huge fan of death metal, and after seeing these guys live, I was eager to pick up this new album. I was not disappointed.
The work that's gone into making this album is phenomenal - the sheer technicality of their work here blew me away. John Gallagher handles all of the guitar work excellently - the short solo at the end of 'Ethos of Coercion' was truly sweet - and shows how much of a talented musician he is. Sean Beasley really wowed me on bass - his sweeping and the speed that he can play at is amazing. This is the debut for new drummer Trey Williams, who I have to say is my favourite DF drummer out of all that they've had - his speed and techniques just add to the awesomeness of this album.
Dying Fetus really have their own sound - I don't think I could say another band that sound like them; maybe Necrophagist whom also incorporate killer riffs with wild technicality, but the sound on Descend into Depravity is excellent. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Although difficult to understand for many, if you really look at what these guys are singing, you'll discover that their lyrics are actually incredible; an example is from the song 'Ethos of Coercion' -
"Subordinates implement, all warranted bidding
Requisitions honored, securing selfish esteem
Skepticism marred, fear of condemnation
Persecuting the chosen, for the lack of adherence"
Now you won't hear something like that from Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber, etc. // 10
Impression: I love every song on this album, but some of my favourites are 'Shepherd's Commandment', 'Your Treachery Will Die with You' and the title track 'Descend into Depravity'. This has to go down as one of my favourite death metal albums ever and I cannot wait for their next release. The only criticism that I could make would be the length - at just over 32 minutes, it's a little short, but certainly sweet.
Although I enjoyed many of their past releases like 'War of Attrition' and 'Destroy the Opposition', I'd say that this is my favourite Dying Fetus album by far. // 10
Descend Into Depravity
Reviewed by:
Aggro, on march 30, 2010 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: Dying Fetus kicks ass, and this CD is another proof of it. I've noticed this CD when I saw the video to "Shepherd's commandment" on YT. My first impression after watching this video was "wow". I've watched it many times, and I couldn't get enough of this. I didn't notice any innovations thought, but one question - do they really need it? It's death metal at its best. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Usually, I don't care about lyrics. But I like the lyrics that Dying Fetus writes. Most of their lyrics are about politics. They go very well with the riffs. Well, even with the lyrics displayed before me, I can't understand Sean's (bassist) parts (laughs). Not like I care. I love the combination of John's extremely low gutterals and Sean's middle growls. They go extremely well with each other. // 9
Impression: Descend into depravity definitely goes with the whole Dying Fetus' discography. In my opinion, it doesn't beat War Of Attrition or Stop At Nothing. The best songs (in my opinion) are Your Treachery Will Die With You (nice title btw), Shepherd's Commandment, Atrocious By Nature and Ethos Of Coercion. The last song is a great choice for the ending of the album. I've listened to it almost constantly, and I never got enough of it, maybe because of the brutal ending, that left me astonished. The only thing that could get better was guitar and bass tone. I'm a fan of tones like Cannibal Corpse - Kill, Hate Eternal - The Perilous Fight, Decapitated - Organic Hallucinosis, You get the point. For the bass - it's muted way too much, there's great bass shredding out there, and I barely hear it.
Anyway I love this album, and I would buy it again when I would lose it. // 10
Descend Into Depravity
Reviewed by:
jon778, on march 26, 2010 1 of 7 people found this review helpful
Sound: While I'm not usually a big fan of death metal, Dying Fetus is definitely an exception. Even though it's their latest, it's the first I've heard from them. In other death metal-ish bands, like Whitechapel for example, they have three guitarists. DF, for this album at least, has one guitarist, one bassist, and one drummer. That's it. The sound you get from this is the same death metal sound you'd expect: all the way from thick and chunky to high pitched appregio type stuff. One of my favorite aspects is the fact the bass follows the guitar about 90% of the time, keeping up with sweep picking and all that other fancy-shmancy guitar work. The drummer here is a beast to say the least. he's pulls out some crazy drum rolls that somehow fit perfectly with the song. All in all, the guitar, bass, and vocals perfectly complement each other, none of them overpowering another. Everything is heard crystal clear. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: To be honest, I can't understand a word this guy is saying, but it sure sounds cool. I do know that his lyrics strongly deal with politics. The sound is just a low pitched growl that often sounds that it is as low as the bass. As I said earlier, the vocals complement his guitar work perfectly and plays a good part in the intense breakdowns. Sometimes, I wonder if the sounds coming out of my speakers really came from a human or not. I would think that it's too perfect to be real, but I've watched a few live performances on youtube and such, and it sounds nearly identical. // 8
Impression: This is the only Dying Fetus album I have, but I'm definitely going to pick up some more in the future. Compared to other bands, in my opinion, they have a good mix of the power of death metal like Whitechapel or Necrophagist, and also of the more melodic stuff the The Black Dahlia Murder at times. After listening to the whole thing, the songs have such a groove to them that you can't get out of your head. If someone stole it, they'd probably end up banging their head through a window or something so I'd grab while their unconscious and leave a Miley Cyrus album in its place, in hopes that they will never commit such a heinous crime again. // 10
Its a disappointing review, to be honest. All you've said how awesome it is and how much it sounds like Whitechapel. I'm not gonna listen to it now, thanks a lot -.-
Whitechapel is deathcore.
Dying Fetus is Brutal Death/grindcore and maybe you should check out their earlier stuff like Destroy the Opposition. It is the best Dying Fetus ever made. And then claim again they sound like Whitechapel
Really now, if that's all you've got to say, what's the point in commenting? You're just flaming the comment section; PROTIP: nobody gives a ****. I think Disturbed sucks, it's not like I'm flaming their comment section just because of that. Asswipe.
Seriously though, this album is one of the best DF releases, if not THE best DF album of all time! The songs are just perfect and the production is really top notch - the guitar tone is tight like a (use your imagination on that one).
And I can see how a noob would make a Whitechapel comparison with the low, gutteral vocals and copious amounts of double bass work.
Dying Fetus rapes Whitechapel when it comes to actual talent though.
Its a disappointing review, to be honest. All you've said how awesome it is and how much it sounds like Whitechapel. I'm not gonna listen to it now, thanks a lot -.-
Same here. I hate Whitechapel with a passion. I can't stand deathcore.
"Compared to other bands, in my opinion, they have a good mix of the power of death metal like Whitechapel or Necrophagist, and also of the more melodic stuff the The Black Dahlia Murder at times."
ehm, dude.... do you even know what death-metal is?
whitechapel is crappy deathcore, black dahlia murder call themselves a "melodic death metal band", but it's also deathcore...
in this case, the only band which is worth a comparison is necrophagist.
with this post i forbid you ever listen to dying fetus or necrophagist. douche
Honestly, after listening to the album I get really bored by all the same triplet rhythms and 32nd's. While occasionally throwing in a riff worthy of mention I wish they would try something a little beyond their norm to the point where they're not just being heavy for the sake of being heavy.
This band is amazing live. It's actually only 3 guys now, and the bassist and guitarist do insane vocals while playing insane riffs. They're one of the real death metal bands out there. They do breakdowns, but they don't overuse/abuse them like core bands, and they've also been around for like 2 decades. Basically, this cd just owns. The drummer is amazing too. Just watch the two new videos they've made on youtube...
When I saw that, I remembered how my elementary teachers would talk about the smaller number wanting to eat the bigger one, and the signs resembling mouths. And then I imagined disturbed literally gobbing on shit.
Disturbed may not be ridiculously talented, but they're not awful. I find their stuff pretty catchy sometimes. I can't get into these guys though. They have talent sure, but this is just another jam-as-many-notes-in-as-you-can band to me. Overuse of blastbeats and nothing stand-out or memorable to me. Sorry, just being honest.
When I saw that, I remembered how my elementary teachers would talk about the smaller number wanting to eat the bigger one, and the signs resembling mouths. And then I imagined disturbed literally gobbing on shit.
lol of the day for me.
And now that I just noticed your username, I can only conclude that you sir are an awesome human being.
So I'm supposed to make a new account because I don't listen a band anymore? I haven't listened to Disturbed in ages.
No one who has actual metal taste and likes death metal would say that the Fetus sucks.
But I just did?
Thus you are wrong, obviously you do not actually listen to death metal and that is ok, however you have brought the plague that is Disturbed into this discussion and therefore are wrong again.
Holy crap guys, just leave him alone, he explained his name issue, and he never brought Disturbed into the conversation. You might as well return to your normal hobby of kicking sand on little kids at the park.
I don't think there is anybody on this site that can dis any band with even a slightly recognizable label, because the fact that their signed, and your not, clearly proves they must not suck.
I don't think there is anybody on this site that can dis any band with even a slightly recognizable label, because the fact that their signed, and your not, clearly proves they must not suck.
good band good cd. someone else needs to review.
Just because someone is signed to a label doesn't make them talented... it means they are marketable. Honestly, there are probably thousands of unsigned talents who are better than a lot of signed ones... and I would bet money that you have said that a band sucks at some point in your life
Disturbed is better then Dying Fetus, IMO, and I listen to lots of death metal. Honestly, Fetus is just a run of the mill death metal band, they are good but nothing to really write home about. This attitude metal heads have that "nu-metal" (which is NOT even a real genre) is automatically terrible is so close minded and ridiculous, there are tons of talented nu-metal bands. "metal heads" have the worst tasts in music ever, and I listen to lots of metal. I also branch out, you should try it, don't always need blastbeats you know. Metal all the time is really boring.
I love death metal, but I'd rather listen to Deftones or System of a Down than shit like Dying Fetus. Gorguts they ain't. I consider them and Necrophagist parodies of the genuine article. Yes, the fundamental aesthetics of death metal are dark, heavy, and crushing, but if you're going to be stupidly brutal in this day and age, at least be good.
Disturbed is better then Dying Fetus, IMO, and I listen to lots of death metal. Honestly, Fetus is just a run of the mill death metal band, they are good but nothing to really write home about. This attitude metal heads have that "nu-metal" (which is NOT even a real genre) is automatically terrible is so close minded and ridiculous, there are tons of talented nu-metal bands. "metal heads" have the worst tasts in music ever, and I listen to lots of metal. I also branch out, you should try it, don't always need blastbeats you know. Metal all the time is really boring.
Dying Fetus is awesome man... And I don't know any metal heads at all in my area.. But i'm sure there are tons of people who just like death metal all the time. I think Dying Fetus is great, but I agree with you on the listening to other stuff part.. You can't say that metalheads have horrible taste in music.. that's a huge generalization. I listen to tons of different stuff. To be honest, I didn't like blast beats at all at first until I tried them on my drum set.. and when I got into black metal I loved them even more.. Stuff just grows on me easily, I guess.. and If I like something i'm not gonna be like, "OH THAT'S GAY!! IT'S NOT METAL!" even if I secretly do like it. That's "school yard talk!" (To quote Jon Lajoie, lol)
Phail.
Its a disappointing review, to be honest. All you've said how awesome it is and how much it sounds like Whitechapel. I'm not gonna listen to it now, thanks a lot -.-