Gutteral and good
Rise of the Simians (ROTS) are a floor scraping, heavy bastard of a band playing music they like and quite probably couldn’t give a rats posterior whether you like them or not. Death metal like this isn’t being played for a chance at fame and social acceptance; it serves merely to give an outlet for their metal doomcore souls.
Well that’s more hyperbole than I usually get into several reviews and the reason for it is that, demo quality production aside, this has one big thing in its favour, it is honest and lacking in any pretensions.
ROTS churn out filthy riffs that sound like they were played on grime encrusted guitars, underneath they have deceptively good drumming from Rog (no really that’s his name) overlaid with the guttural regurgitation that is Luke. Seriously Luke with a voice like that you’re going to have to come up with a name like ‘Ragnor’ or something. He spews forth (quite literally I think) a vocal line reminiscent of gargling gravel.
According to their press release they are singing about personal experiences and wider social themes but to be honest as with all death/black metal they could be singing their shopping list, try it guys, next gig sing your shopping list and see if anyone notices. Baaaccccoooon, Tiin OF Beeaannns.
Ok funs over, this is a damn fine release for a first demo and given expensive production would probably peel your ears off, it is heavy enough to have to fall out of your speakers and crawl across the floor towards you, however, it is also clever enough to keep you interested instead of doing the same song over and over again which is a pitfall too often fallen into by the genre.
If you like your metal slow and heavy, dirt fouled and smelling like cheese lost under the cooker then give this a listen, you can get the demo on their myspace site, download it and play it loud, if you can see past the demo production there’s something slimy but good underneath.
http://www.myspace.com/riseofthesimians