Rating: 8.9

Country: Sweden

Release Date: 2005

Track list:
1. Memento Mori
2. Fleshwork
3. Immaculate Rancidity
4. The Bullets Beckon
5. Crucifiend
6. Widowmaker
7. Tools of Termination
8. Blood Clotted Eyes
9. Larvaeon
10. Deviance

Band Website: Deviant

Deviant - Larvaeon

Johan - Guitars/Bass
Magnus - Guitars
Alex - Vocals
EB - Drums

'Where the hell did this come from? Holy shit!'

...Was the first thought to cross my simple mind when confronted with this beast. The music contained herein Deviant's debut full-length 'Larvaeon' for Italian label The Spew Records defies and transcends mere regional and national boundaries. What is on display with their debut record, is savage and complete brutality. They have managed to push the limits of Death Metal extremity beyond what can be measured and surmised by mere words, and to the same extent; what has been heard before by these ears. Deviant do possess the inherent and unmistakable control and composition of many of their swedish contemporaries such as Aeon, but where Aeon is akin to a series of cold, calculated, and methodical murders, Deviant are much more in the line of a psychotic, yet intelligent sociopath committing what would at first glance, appear to be completely random acts of butchery utilising implements such as baseball bats and hacksaws. Yet closer scrutiny reveals that each killing is linked to the preceding one in some fashion. Deviant develop their unique sound by infusing heaps of semi-melodic Pestilence-like breaks throughout almost each song and by maintaining a thoroughly organic manner of allowing their songs to develop as 'songs', rather than collections of riffs that 'should go together' for whatever reason. Each and every track on 'Larvaeon' stands as it's own individual entity, retaining the same basic structure, but the subtleties and 'deviations' are what really set this apart from the veritable slew of bands attempting what Deviant have indeed, accomplished.

For comparison's sake, if there's one band that comes to mind more than any when listening to this slab, it's Deranged. From the relentless percussion to the raw guitar tone and vocal outbursts that range from piercing screams, to sub-sonic inhuman bowel-spew, some parts of this album can't help but remind me of classics such as "Eroti(kill)" and "Razor Divine", for their irresistable groove, and frightening atmosphere. "Immaculate Rancidity" is one such track. At other times, such as the final two minutes of the mostly grinding and fast-paced "The Bullets Beckon", Deviant allow their merciless Death/Grind assault to be upstaged by what sounds like something the late Gorement may have written around the time that their quest finally ended in the mid-90s.

The pace set by their drummer, known simply as EB, is frenetic and violent, relying heavily on snare/bass triplets, blasts and grinding downbeats, and the twin guitars of brothers Magnus and Johan wreak utter havoc, every chord teeming with primal ferocity. Bass is obscured in the mix, but provides adequate low-end firepower to give Magnus' riffs the extra 'crunch'. As far as musicianship goes, parallels are few and far between. And where the lyrics are concerned, they were mostly written by our own Adam Conrad*, and while they aren't included in the liner notes, judging from what I know of Adam, I'm sure they're equal parts esoteric and disgusting, as is every other aspect of this recording.

For a relatively young band, Deviant have achieved much with this, their first professional recorded and released album. Their music is performed with competence and energy, and they've managed to subsequently record one of the greatest full-on Death Metal albums of recent years. Here's to many more of such an impeccable quality. The bar for Death Metal has 'officially' been raised. That said, what the fuck are you waiting for? You can finally support a band that is truly worthy of your support.

April 3rd, 2006