Rating: 7.7

Country: Belgium

Release Date: 2006

Track list:
1.Eleven [mp3]
2.Fallacy of Reason
3.Karmic Impediment
4.Heteronomy of the Will
5.Concentric Diversions
6.Predestined to Persevere
7.Order from Chaos
8.Synoptical Incoherence
9.Nescientia

Band Website: Emeth

Emeth - Reticulated

Tom Kimps - Vocals
Tom Ales - Drums
Kevin - Bass
Matty Dupont - Guitars
Peter Goemaere - Guitars

Emeth's previous record ‘Insidious' was a ball skewering affair for 8 songs with the last one being a mellow respite from the pandemonium. The album was full of intense shredding, massive notes piled into each second of riffing, Gatling gun drumming, heavy slams, deep gurgling vocals, and booming bass. With ‘Insidious' one got the impression that Emeth was cramming a variance between sheer brutality in sound with technicality into each song. Yet, the music never seemed rushed, but it may have been a bit overwhelming to some fans. Let me use an evolutionary paradigm: Emeth is a big alpha male bull who is gonna do everything possible to fuck all the females on the ranch so deal with it or get in the fight and tangle horns if you want some ass for yourself. Personally I have never been one to shy away from a good goring, therefore, with a foresight that belies hindsight I got the ole horns sharpened and ready long before Emeth's new album ‘Reticulated' hit the underground. Remember dedicated reader, with some bulls you gotta go head on.

In ‘Reticulated' fans are in for a hypersonic calamity of the most Broootal kind, but this album isn't ‘Insidious 2'. This CD comes across a little less technical with the band fitting fewer unrepeated song structures and discordant harmonies into each track. The result is more intensity in every number amalgamated with groove, pit riffing, and meat hook impaling. Each song seems to have a well conceived tempo change backed by descending guitar riffs, solo's, or pure atrocious energy. Emeth have managed to combine the savagery of early Krisiun blast beats and Morbid Angel guitar carving with Suffocation tech appeal. Even when the music seems slightly disorganized an overwhelming assault of clarity akin to an epiphany suddenly compels the listener to head-bang ruthlessly. Probably the best thing about Emeth on ‘Reticulated' is that they are not repetitive. Despite the complexity in the music, it still comes across novel as a result of the layered harmonies and motifs worked into every song. More importantly the style they have achieved sounds exceptional after multiple listens, which is a credit to the abilities of the band members and their raw energy.

The only two negatives I have with this recording are the vocals and the snare drum. Vocally Tom Kimps has changed his main vocal style from one that was deeply walrus in tone to one that is more Hardcore. Now don't get sand in your rectum cause I am not saying this is a Hardcore album you fanatical Emeth fans. What I am getting at is that the vocals are Death-core in pitch. Musically the singing is still heavy, but when I hear something that resembles Hardcore in any fashion the first thing I think is Metalcore. That notion is quickly followed by my recognition of the fact that Emeth or any band for that matter wants to appeal to a larger fan base, which sometimes means altering their sound slightly or changing it altogether. I am not apposed to a band making money, and if idiots out there want to say they are “selling out” then they need to cast away their petty teenage angst/rebellion and recognize that everyone and every band “sells out” no matter how underground or how large. Otherwise they wouldn't sell records, tee-shirts, stickers, and other merchandise out of the back of their pick-up, off the internet, at a club gig, or in an arena, and you wouldn't contribute to their “selling out” by buying musical products. My point is that Emeth's voice change may be a method for enticing a wider audience and their wallets into scoring their merchandise. From a Metal fan's perspective the next relevant question is “Mike does it take away from the brutality of the music?” The answer is “No,” in that Emeth combine the Death-core vocals with other throat tones throughout the album. Kimps is mostly Death-core, but he is also putrid in a Matti Way style, and he does add some ugly gurgles to the mix in that time tested and proven “ree-ing” formula that usually seems to accompany a slam riff.

My other bitch is with the snare drum in ‘Reticulated'. Overall Tom Ales is just as blazing demented with his drum patterns and blast beats, but the snare seems a bit lost in the mix. During the pit riffs the snare is apparent, but most of the time it seems like it was almost intentionally toned down during the engineering and production stages of the recording sessions. This style is reminiscent of the new Scent of Death album ‘Woven In the book of Hate' where the snare almost seems to be an afterthought. By comparison Emeth's first album ‘Insidious' had an almost overloud snare drum sound. Perhaps Emeth was looking for overall balance in the production, but they may have phased the ole snare out just a tad too damned much.

Overall ‘Reticulated' is a first-rate album carried forth as much by the diversity in instrument play in each song as the variance in vocals. Emeth has made an obvious effort to topple the music they created on ‘Insidious', and they have largely succeeded. Hopefully I over analyzed Kimps voice, in that Emeth was ONLY attempting to stretch their musical range past the tacit boundaries erected by bands, fans, and the media as it pertains to Brutal Death Metal. Yet, the reality is that Emeth has compositional abilities that may carry them among the best in Metal. This is why needless tweaking of their style whether with the vocals, Pro-Tools, triggered drums, or bringing in some spurious guest vocalists may be a detriment to their future albums. In the meantime ‘Reticulated' is an excellent CD worth buying for yourself and a horde of starving children who can be made to learn that Metal is the only sustenance necessary for survival.

June 27th, 2006