Rating: 6.9

Country: Brazil

Genre: Death Metal

Record Label: Deity Down

Release Date: 2008

Track list:
1. Serpent-Legged [mp3]
2. Anmod
3. Hung Up at the Pale [mp3]
4. Wretchedness and Decay [mp3]
5. Outwitted by Redeeming Features
6. Behold
7. Absence of an Upper World
8. Impending Loss
9. Weakness of Will
10. Thoughtlessness
11. Surcease
12. Monstrosity per Defectum

Band Website: Anmod

Anmod - Monstrosity per Defectum

Hernan Oliveira - Bass, Vocals
Gerson Watanabe - Guitar
Johnny R. R. - Drums

This bludgeoning trio with ex-Hecatomb drummer Johnny may hail from the vicinity of fast-receding rainforests, but their output is 100% North American styled. They favour the approach of Deeds of Flesh - choppy palm-muted scattershot chord progressions conjoined with tremolo-picked dark semi-melody, convoluted fills and clanging bass. They have the same ultra-compact and tight no-frills sound of that band. Until Reduced to Ashes, Deeds of Flesh always sounded too abrupt and mechanical to me; their structures were very labyrinthine and technically intriguing but the consistency of delivery was detrimental rather than complementary. Some say that the clinical heaviness was the problem. I would say that the lack of syncopation was more of an issue. Anmod, like DoF, are a very professional outfit, but the majority of their material is stultifyingly rigid.

What makes Anmod an improving listen with time is the application of other US Brutal DM influences. The vocals themselves do not dwell on brutish grunts and can soar with throaty horror-filled rage as the speed increases, rather like George Fisher, particularly in his early days in Monstrosity. The latter band is referenced in the first track somewhat with a spiralling riff that follows a Cryptopsy blast spasm (in fact, nearly every time Anmod go to hyperspeed they sound like mid-era Cryptopsy). When the band get more jerky and complex they can sound a little like Gorguts (rather like Defeated Sanity do). "Hung Up at the Pale" is the one track that incorporates a more European feel through a strong riff ripped from Sinister's Hate. It is also this track that first demonstrates a willingness to adopt a more conventional song structure if appropriate. "Impending Loss" has a superb ebb-and-flow that darkens in tone and uses interesting chordal harmony. "Weakness of Will" has a corruptly majestic fastpicked string-skipping melody and "Surcease" mixes up pit riffage and savage Hate Eternal staccato.

Like Deeds of Flesh, Anmod show great skill in melting dissimilar riffs into each other. Arguably they have more intelligent lyrics and potentially more flexibility for the future. However, until they learn to loosen up more at key moments this will remain a monotonously tense listening experience. There are promising embryonic signs of originality but at this point Anmod range from the merely safe/solid to unspectacularly good. Excitable fans of the entire back-catalogue of Deeds of Flesh would probably get a lot more out of this than me, it has to be said.

November 6th, 2008