Applied Schizophrenic Science

I must say that this isn’t bad at all! This album by Oath to Vanquish can certainly be called brutal death metal I suppose, but it certainly has its own, even somewhat unique delivery compared with the majority of their death metal counterparts out there flooding the scene. When I first heard this I realized that Grindethic records may have stumbled into a gem of a new band. Oath to Vanquish provide semi technical death metal and once it begins, it does not stop pounding you into submission until the last track ends.

The first interesting thing we have about this album is the vocals. They range from a higher pitched shriek that reminds of some top notch black metal vocals to a low-pitched guttural bordering on pig squealing. I must say that this is not near as ridiculous as the majority of pig squealing bands out there so don’t write off the vocals until you hear them.

Carlos Abboud shows he is capable at keeping up with the pace of the music by providing some rather technical drum work. I even hear slight influence of jazz scattered throughout this album, which is quite refreshing. My only complaint with the drums is they sound a little like the tin can, but not to the point that it ruins the listening experience.

The bass is not always audible, but when it is you can tell that Cyril Yabroudi has serious skills. There are a few bass solos scattered throughout (I can’t remember which songs) further proving this.

So far I’ve pretty much had nothing but praise for this album, so now it’s time to talk about the cons. Even though there really are not many cons about this album, I believe that the guitars need the most work out of anything. Most of the riffage is speedy tremolo pick notes mixed with the palm-muted chords. Not that this is such a bad thing, but it really does make Oath to Vanquish stand out from the herd. Do not get me wrong, there is some deviation from that with plenty of technical experimentation, but not enough to elevate this album into Decrepit Birth or Spawn of Possession territory.

If you are a fan of any kind of metal you owe it to this band to give it a listen. Overall, it is quite a good debut and I can’t wait to hear how they improve on this with their next release. Plus, they are from Lebanon! MUCH RESPECT!!

Oath to Vanquish are one of those talented bands from a country not many think of when it comes to metal, in fact ‘Applied Schizophrenic Science’ is one of those impressive albums that opens harshly combining brutal vocals and rhythms in a unique style that really fits the type of music they play very well, getting better progressively without having any weak moment in all songs.

These guys deserve some recognition for their extreme efforts and work. The guitar, as in most metal, are what drive the music, Elias Abboud is very tasteful and never overdoes it with the technical riffing as many do in such genre, in this album it never becomes monotonous or stay on a riff or a tempo too long. Carlos Abboud is one of those blasts beating drummers a typical technical one, he plays very quickly and loud dominating the album’s sound instrumentally, he’s definitely very talented and extreme accomplishing an insane work just the way he should do. The bass, played by Cyril Yabroudi, also makes a remarkable presence, too up front in some songs and playing a low profile in others, where the guitars dominate the sound. It adds another level of brutality to the album. The vocals, considered as a sort of sound conflict between the three members, range from low grind growls to traditional death with some black metal shrieks. Just the way a metalhead would enjoy.

The lyrics are worth reading despite being typical death metal. Discussing societal conflicts, political corruption and off course death. Cannot be understood while listening to the songs, but isn’t that normal is such music genre? Were you only hear harsh vocals. Finally, the production is good, not to mention that the album was mastered by Colin Davis, you can hear all the instruments clearly enjoying every composition.

Overall, this album can be considered one of not many technical death/grind masterpieces. If you are into this kind of music then ‘Applied Schizophrenic Science’ deserves your full attention. You will be more then happy to have it under your collection don’t miss it you wont regret that!

Highlights: Pear of Anguish, Executive Onslaught, Coat-Hanger Massacre.

Oath To Vanquish's 'Applied Schizophrenic Science' kicks off in the way an extreme metal album should: With an immediate barrage of insane vocals and double kicks that instantly pummels the listener into paying attention. 'Pear Of Anguish' sums up Oath To Vanquish's music quite succinctly: brutal, percussive, violently shifting textures subsuming into each other, never letting the listener get a precise bearing on where a track will go or what demented riff or rhythm will attack next. This, my friends, this is the very essence of what one thinks of when they think of 'extreme metal'. A Lebanese group, Oath To Vanquish is releasing their first LP with this album, and what an album it is.

I guess the major perceptible flaw to Oath To Vanquish is a complete and utter lack of subtlety. I don't think there's a single moment of introspection on this album; it's essentially a never-ending waterfall of extreme misanthropy. However, Oath To Vanquish makes such a thing a goal in and of itself, and on the (admittedly very few) moments where they approach something musical (such as a flicker halfway through 'Dearly Beheaded'), they shine even there. Combining elements of black metal, death metal, and grindcore, Oath To Vanquish seems to find the coalescing point of all of them, with no moments ever bowing towards one genre or another. This results in a sound that, while not entirely unique, is certainly different from the pack of fusion artists.

Perhaps the most immediately recognizable comparison is to Insidious Decrepancy: both bands feature an ominous atmosphere combined with a frantic, maniacal delivery that makes me love them. Of course, Oath To Vanquish is a good deal less technical, and their riffing possesses less of the flurrying quality of Insidious Decrepancy, but the resemblance is certainly there. Perhaps this is due to Middle Eastern metal's infatuation with inserting black metal's stylistic elements into death metal structures. Perhaps the most interesting moments on this release are when Oath To Vanquish use a more traditional BM sound in the vein of Satyricon, such as on the track 'Toxic Bowel Manoeuvre', with its oddly emotive riffing. Elements such as these go far to break up the long streams of brutality on this release.

Oath To Vanquish's debut release is a very high quality LP from a very promising band. If they keep up such excellent work, I'd dare say that they'll go far in the musical world.

(Originally written for www.vampire-magazine.com)