Rating: 7.4

Country: Switzerland

Release Date: 2006

Record Label: Self-Released

Track list:
1. Down by Law
2. Prone to Kill and Torture as a Strategy to Overthrow Governments
3. Microsleep
4. Threatened with Extinction
5. Suicide Machine
6. Stop for Death
7. Out of Breath
8. Codification Interrupted
9. Faint

Total Playing Time: 48:41

Band Website: Censored

Censored - In-Existence

Manuel Fruh - Bass, Vocals
Marcel Zilic - Guitars
Nik Naumann - Drums

Formed in 2001, Censored have been relatively quiet since 2003 having released a couple of EPs. They hope to gain label/distribution support via their energetic and bruising new full-length In-Existence.  

The first moments of "Down by Law" set the scene strongly. The exemplary production has a level of bloated warmth to it uncommon in modern death metal. Catastrophic, Obituary and Dismember meet At the Gates with a touch of Today is the Day opacity/dissonance and Nostromo crunchy overtones. The drums sound particularly excellent for a self-released album, with every detail cutting through the mix effortlessly. The vocals are well mixed considering the diversity of Manuel Fruh's outbursts; intially halfway between At the Gates and Noisecore style but later full of differing throaty growls, alarmed shrieks and sewer grunts. The bass adds depth to Vader style low-end fastpicked dirges but is fairly understated.  

Structurally the music is a compromise between old school order and contemporary elements that disrupt slavish repetition without being mere disjointed fills. Generally new riffs flow naturally on from previous ones in spite of tempo changes and riff fragments are interjected elsewhere to both strengthen song motifs and maintain interest.  

The second song is easily the most impressive and original track in the Censored arsenal. A detuned jittery introduction grabs the neck so that one minute later a malevolent and ominous string-leaping melody sinks its teeth in. The combination here of dark thrash, Carcass depth and intensity to almost Hate Eternal levels runs parallel with the kind of approach cherished by UK's Dam. Transmutation to classic Cannibal Corpse hammer/pull riffage is driven to greater effect by faultless percussion of ever-increasing complexity and ultra-precise attack. Mark my words, regardless of the fate of this band, Nik Naumann has a big drumming career in front of him due to his natural ability to raise the impact of almost every riff by constantly mutating the dynamics and groove.  

From "Microsleep" onwards things have a tendency to relax into more straightforward but catchy blasting Swedish death that bridges the classic and melodic eras. Dissection moments arise from "Stop for Death" onwards and a backbone of organic Obituary groove is ever-present. A faithful hidden final cover of "Slowly We Rot" underlines this (and the vocals are spot on). The poorly titled "Suicide Machine" (blatantly advertising that Censored haven't heard Death's Human album - bordering on the criminal!) embodies a quintessential hybrid of Obituary and Dismember, complete with 100% Matti Karki vocal impersonations.  

Even without the marvellous second song that should influence Censored's future writing path, this is a solid album debut to be proud of that can be enjoyed by death metal fans regardless of their personal preferences.

January 11th, 2007