Die You - Antagonist

Rating: 6.5

Country: Spain

Release Date: 2008

Track list:
1. Shout of Clemency
2. Putrefacted Humility
3. Addict to Power
4. Mature Heart
5. Your Fucking History
6. Deplorable Existence
7. Blame it on God
8. Our Destiny

Band Website: Die You

Die You - Antagonist

Bola - Bajo y voz
Ivan - Guitarras y voz
Pelaka - Bateria y voz

Antagonist is the debut album of this new brutal death band from Spain. I am sure that sounded very boring but Die You (huh?) are really not your run-of-the-mill brutal band. Over here they have successfully united the inherent sickness of the Spanish brutal death music with the mesmerizing dark glory of Immolation. That is the truth, amigo.

The lukewarm opening song leads to “Putrefacted Humility” which is modelled after Failures for Gods era Immolation and showcases just how effective the intertwining of contrasting death metal styles and philosophies can be. “Addict to Power” and “Mature Heart” carry on the impressive form, the band ensuring that there is much more than mere Immolation emulation happening in them. Gorging on the abundant darkness around it, the already bloated brutal riffs stagger about with drowsiness and linger a while longer than they normally do before dropping off. They lend to the grim Immolation tunes a newfound sense of power that makes them resonate with a brutal thump upon their execution. The next couple of songs feature mighty brutal breakdowns that are so effective coming after the brooding evil riffs that the inhabitants of hell can probably feel its impact. The dark, murky production enhances the music's morbid darkness while its thick, viscous quality is conducive to sickness and suffocation. This way the two disparate death metal influences are able to thrive within the convoluted sonic mess that is Antagonist.

Unfortunately, towards the end the brutal side of the band gets greedy and dominates the music because of which it loses its uniqueness and suffers. That is a relatively minor drawback that is magnified over here because of the album's already short running time of just around 22 minutes. Some of you might also have a bone to pick with the sick Septycal Gorge-like vokills that are adopted for their music; while they sure could have been better, they do add to the sickness of the music particularly when the snarls are performed. And well, if you wanted someone who sounded exactly like Ross Dolan, I think you are better off just listening to Immolation. Die You sure show potential and they do a commendable job striking a fine sound, but there is no denying the fact that their members need to hone their skills and if possible, drill some sense into their oft-nonsensical song structures starting with giving them more room.

These days every wimpy faggot who is born seems to instinctively jump on the “I love Immolation” bandwagon even though he is usually oblivious of the band's golden past. You don't have to worry about that happening with Die You, because after incorporating the finest Immolation influences into their music, they have pushed it to its punishing brutal extreme. Only the real brutalheads will be able to derive pleasure out of this one.

July 30th, 2008