Rating: 8.8

Country: Germany

Release Date: 2004

Record Label: Grindethic Records

Track list:
1. Liquifying Cerebral Hemispheres
2. Drifting Further
3. The Parasite
4. Horrid Decompostion
5. Tortured Existence
6. Apocalypse of Filth/Collapsing Human Failure
7. Remnants of The Dead [MP3]
8. Prelude To The Tragedy

Total Playing Time: 31:10

Band Website: Defeated Sanity

Defeated Sanity - Prelude To The Tradegy

Marcus Keller - Vocals
Wolfgang Teske - Guitar
Tino Kohler - Bass
Lille Gruber - Drums

Having enjoyed their split with Czech brutal crickets Poppy Seed Grinder, I was pleased to note Grindethic had untethered the German outfit's latest record. 'Prelude to the Tragedy' is a gleaming chrome harpoon of immaculate technical Death Metal, deftly interweaving cryptic riff-tangles with convolutional percussive violence to surprisingly comprehendable and utterly enjoyable results. Drumwork, relentless in its complexity, enhances both the progressive and barbaric elements of the tracks, nailing ambitious patterns to them with satisfying snare punch, lucid cymbals and expert fills.

In the sleeve notes, the band cite a multitude of bands and musicians as their influences, many of which being extremely prominent in the music to begin with. Their love of Suffocation and Gorguts is unmistakable, creating a claustrophobic, 'Effigy of the Forgotten'-esque atmosphere with their architectural brutality, whilst making fleeting grasps at ugly melody in a manner akin to that employed on the 'The Erosion of Sanity' or, more recently, 'Souls to Deny'. To these ears, the material also has brutish elements of mid period Disgorge [US] and a superior song structuring method similar to latter day Deeds of Flesh, the more progressive moments having overtones of Death's last couple of albums.

When attempting to fuse such techniques and characteristics, many bands can find themselves lost in a inaccessible morass punctuated solely by insipid chugs or hackneyed slams, but Defeated Sanity eschew this with their impeccably collated influences, the songs performed with more than enough passion, venom and innovation to prevent them from becoming slavish replicas. The lyrical content is meritorious, each song proffering a vivid scenario vokillised by a parched throat, delivering each line through a variety of often guttural, occasionally hysterical mouth emissions, with a standard of diction that allows the listener to follow the lyrics which are printed atop the lovely sanguinous artwork.

In terms of song layout, the compositions are planned in such a way that each band member may take a central role at a specific juncture, for instance memorable vokill sequences and basslines. This of course results in a well rounded, concrete record by a band whose excellent musicianship elevates it above the status of another bogged down Death Metal unit whose plentiful diversity and vital technical ideas are marred by mere functionality in the performance of one or more members. This is also assisted by a clear production that suits this kind of multifaceted Death Metal, each instrument to be found richly audible, beneficial to listeners who wish to imbibe this work as a whole, as well as to those who like to commit riffs or drum patterns to memory. Coupled with an appropriate playing time, such qualities repel any potential loss of attention on the part of the listener.

If you are one of the many whom [myself excluded] were left inexplicably disappointed by 'Souls to Deny', you could do far worse than purchase this great release. With 'Prelude to the Tragedy', Defeated Sanity assist in pushing the genre towards its next logical progression. Followers of this strain of technical brutal Death Metal will find plenty to enjoy here.

September 7th, 2005