Of Fracture and Failure

“Of Fracture and Failure” might be an album that can only be listened to retroactively. On its own merits, it might be more obviously whirling about the high-velocity vortex of bands like Origin with some of the demented chord-shapes of Gorguts. However, what this album highlights more than anything is where Ulcerate was going to venture into later on, and what stands out on this release are the shadows of forthcoming ideas much more than the merits possessed by “Of Fracture and Failure” itself. Certainly, relistening to it in 2019 – for this reviewer, at least – has more historical value than anything else.

The band’s sound on this release is rooted more in the clinical technical death metal realm, with grindcore and, on some tracks, even deathcore sensibilities present (see the beginning chugging guitars of “Ad Nauseam,” or that end “Praise and Negation,” for example). The vocal style, while certainly possessed of conviction, is not necessarily entirely well-suited to Ulcerate’s sound. Often, the frenetic, fast-paced cadences and shrieking highs root the band’s sound in a more technical-death metal realm – again, the comparison with Origin immediately comes to mind. More than the song structures as a whole or the guitar work, the drums are an immediate stand-out, with Jamie Saint Merat’s signature style already crystallizing here – most especially, the technique of allowing the flurry of double-bass to propel the song forward while the stickwork ruthlessly decimates the listener with a cascade of activity.

“To Fell Golgotha” is one of the better tracks here, with a concise structure and a bewitching bridge that plants us at the feet of jagged guitar needling and blast-driven fury. The song, rare in Ulcerate’s oeuvre for clocking in at under four minutes, is a pulverizing example of what the band can do with a shorter run-time. Aside from this song, however, the briefer cuts on “Of Fracture and Failure” are some of the album’s weaker material; what the album demonstrates is that the sound Ulcerate was developing is better served by more time over which to allow a given song’s ideas to coalesce – atmospheric bridges that contrast with the general chaos of the song; a longer meandering around certain sections which allow chord shapes and motifs to reappear and blend back into the magma; convulsing punctuations that break up the general steamrolling effect of the sound. “Martyr of the Soil” is a great example of this, where a furious first third of the song is divided by a very Gorguts-style breakdown driven by nauseating sustains, before sandblasting the listener with a vortex of cymbal-catches, blast beats, and screams.

What “Of Fracture and Failure” does not do is cohere as a great album front-to-back. The technical death metal feel of this release, the lack of a firmly defined sound, and the dearth of truly memorable songs all work against it. This is not to say this is a bad release by any means. There are undoubtedly some good tracks, and there is certainly a pioneering spirit present that is even soul-crushing at certain moments; the specter of a greater ambition weaves itself throughout the runtime, spreading the seeds that would vomit themselves into an igneous bloom on “Everything is Fire.” Nonetheless, “Of Fracture and Failure” is a first hesitant foray at the gates of madness; the insane leap into total reckless ambition would not quite occur yet.


75%

I've been listening to this album for close to two years now, and only now do I feel qualified to analyse and review it, such is the depth of the music on offer here. Even after countless listens, sometimes something new jumps out. I'd liken it albums like Gorguts' Obscura and Immolation's Close to a World Below in the way that at first it may seem like a very difficult listen, but if you persevere, you'll come to realise it's nothing short of spectacular. Big call, comparing it to those greats when it's the debut album from a relatively unknown band from a small country at the bottom of the world with a tiny metal scene. Some may accuse me of blind patriotism, given they're a local band for me, but bear with me.

What this album has that sets it apart from the majority of 'brutal' and 'technical' death metal these days is the atmosphere it conjures up. This is a bleak, vitriolic and ugly album, with a brilliantly dark atmosphere, something which is often missing from death metal these days. Ulcerate may have the technique and musicianship, but it's not the primary focus here. The brooding riffs, the cloying, suffocating production, acidic vocals and crushing drum barrage combine to produce a sound that's like no other band. If you really wanted to simplify it, it's a mix of the twisted, dark riffing of Immolation, the savagery of Hate Eternal and oddly enough, the bleakness of bands like Isis and Neurosis, but really it sounds like none of them and to say so would be a disservice.

Speaking of the riffs, there is some amazing guitar work here. Mike Hoggard and Mike Rothwell definitely give a performance they can be proud of. It's not particularly flashy, but it will get stuck in your head. There are a lot of riffs on this album, the songs are very linear and don't repeat passages very often. You won't get bored in a hurry. The tend to mix up, harsh, dissonant patterns with passages of eerie dark melodies, the tranquil moments provide a good contrast to the fury that tends to be unleashed shortly after. The best example of this is the segue from 'Failure' into 'The Coming Of Genocide', but there are other less obvious instances all the way through the album. Backing up the guitar work is a stellar drum performance from Jamie Saint Merat. His drumming is technical, intersting, not to mention fast as fuck! He doesn't blast a whole lot, but tends to use furious double kick and awesome cymbal work to create immense walls of sound. His cymbal work tends to complement the riffs a lot, following the same patterns, it's a technique I've not heard all that often and one I've grown to enjoy. Ben Reid's vocal performance is nothing short of outstanding. Some have criticised his vocals for being too 'hardcore' sounding, given the higher pitch compared to most death metal vocalists, but given the passion of his performance, I really can't see any fault. His frenzied howls are the perfect compliment to the savagery of the drumming and guitar work, and convey a real sense of hatred and anger, something that rediculous gutturals and pig squeals can never do. He does mix it up too with more typical growls and lower pitches, see the beginning of 'Martyr of the Soil for example. It is a huge shame he is no longer in the band as his vocals and lyrics were exceptional, as was his live performance. I wish I could say more about Paul Kelland's bass playing, but the dense production does leave him somewhat buried, though his lines do get a chance to weave in and out now and then.

Standout tracks would be Martyr of the Soil, The Coming Of Genocide (a revamped track from their Demo days that's been given new lyrics and made considerably nastier) and the albums stunning closer, Defaeco, with one of the most crushing and majestic outros on a death Metal album in a long time.

If you are tired of the amount of sterile, clinical brutal/technical death metal bands and are looking for something with a killer dark atmosphere, full of real passion, how death metal should be, then give Ulcerate a listen. It may take a while to appreciate, but I gaurantee if you stick with it you will not be disappointed. With a new record deal and a new album on the way, Ulcerate are going places. Mark my words.

This album is amazing! This album has it all, pristine production, stellar musicanship, and some of the best song writing I have ever heard. Reviewing this album on a song by song basis is pointless because there are so many riffs that it would be quite a task. Also I'm still trying to take it all in. However, don't let this discourge you from listening to it. The more you listen to it, the better it becomes. The percussion on this album has it all, a wide array of blastbeats, a ton of sick fills, and some really nice cymbal work. The vocals are constantly shifting between growls, shouts, screams, and snarls. This vocal diversity is exactly what the band needed to complete their sound. The guitars and bass are very dark and heavy, but still very technical. When I say techincal I don't mean that over the top wank that can become tiresome after a while. They seem to flow well with the songs and accent certain parts very nicely. There are some parts of the songs that are very melodic and almost relaxing. I think this contrast to the really chaotic stuff makes this album a really fun listen. Tempo shifts are plentiful on this release, before you know it they are on to something else. Sometimes the changes are sharp and other times they are more subtle. Again, very well crafted songs. Each song tends to evolve very nicely, and there is almost no repetition. This makes for a very repeat friendly listen. I really have nothing to complain about for this album. Influences range from Immolation, Crytopsy, Gorguts, DEP, and Messhugah just to name a few. This is a must have for any fan of tech death! So if you haven't already, make sure to pick up a copy of this one!