Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Degrade > Lost Torso Found > Reviews
Degrade - Lost Torso Found

Degrade - Lost torso found - 90%

Phuling, August 18th, 2009

I was surprised, to say the least, when I received this album. Considering the release is three years old I didn’t think they were still sending out promos, but I’m not one to complain. What sucks, though, is the fact that this is Degrade’s latest release; still! But hopefully we can take their word for it when they say they’re still alive and writing new material, ‘cause considering the quality of the material they’ve produced so far it’d be a damn shame to see the band call it quits. "Lost torso found" is from 2006, so it’s a few years old now as I’ve already stated, but it’s certainly still worth checking out.

The first few times I listened to this I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I can’t really say why, but it just didn’t grab my attention the way its predecessor "Hanged and disemboweled" did. It was all still there; the groove, brutality and gore, but I just wasn’t hooked. I really can’t explain what the hell was going on, ‘cause now I can’t get enough of it. What Degrade delivers is somewhat un-Swedish death metal as it goes straight across the ocean and crawls its way towards the slums of North America. Band’s such as Putrid Pile and Devourment (albeit with less technicality) come to mind, but the more I listen to it the more I realize there’s something missing with that description. And then it hits me; there’s tons of European styled brutal death metal as well. Suddenly Avulsed and Disavowed appears as comparisons, or why not even add the first Infernal Revulsion album to that.

Tons of groove is the key, along with slamming breaks and blistering blasts. What is really cool with Degrade is that they’ve mastered the technique of blasting like crazy while still retaining the groove via chugging riffage. And speaking of riffs they deliver quite a few memorable pieces; such as the re-vamped "Degraded into worms" (a re-recording of a demo song), which has killer headbanger friendly slamming groove. And it’s freakishly heavy with a great production, really smearing it on thick. There’s quite a lot of variation as they constantly change pace; it comes to a halt and a slam section is inserted before the blasting commences again. But one thing that is present throughout it all (except for the groove, of course) is the indecipherable gurgle growls, sounding somewhat like a mixture of Iniquity and Stabwound, and you know what that means.

Despite my initial antipathy and hesitation I’m sold. The great artwork by Jon Zig perfectly matches the gory title and lyrics, the thick sound complements the sick music perfectly. And how can I not love a band that includes me in the thanks-list? Let’s just hope they’ll be able to create an even deadlier album the next time around, they’ve had some time now to hone their sound.

Originally written for http://www.mylastchapter.net

Meh. - 61%

Noktorn, January 5th, 2008

The most remarkable thing about Degrade is that they feature what looks like a couple dwarfs on guitar and drums. Seriously, when I saw their picture I was really interested in why two of the members looked to be about five feet tall (and another one's not much bigger). Apparently their short stature makes Degrade ANGRY, which is why they're playing New York-style brutal death metal, despite originating from Sweden. Really, these guys should be opening for Suffocation any day now. They probably wouldn't be a very APPROPRIATE opener, but they would probably end up in such a slot anyway.

The members of Degrade just looooooove Skinless. Every track on 'Lost Torso Found' is right in that band's vein of grooving, slightly punky brutal death metal. There's lots of start-stop chug riffs that break into blasting sections before slipping back into mid-paced groove. There's no melody; all the riffs are either Suffocation-style convoluted chugging or speedy tremolo riffs with the occasional pinch harmonic for effect. Vocals are those somewhat silly, frothing growls like you hear in the late Iniquity's compositions, rounded out with, like nearly all modern brutal death metal bands, the occasional pig squeal. Drums and bass are handled capably, though not particularly uniquely. Then again, that pretty much exemplifies the album as a whole.

As someone who's really been around the block as far as US (and US-style) brutal death metal goes, it's hard to really excite me with relatively straightforward music like this. I suppose that 'Lost Torso Found' is above average in some ways, as far as having some catchy rhythms (derived from the Skinless mold, of course) and good production. The songwriting, though? Nothing special. I've heard this sort of thing numerous times before, and while it's not bad, it just doesn't really grab me in any significant way. A bit of bounciness and bassy production really doesn't manage that in such an oversaturated brutal death scene.

I guess if you're really obsessed with gathering every NYDM-type CD that has ever been released, you might as well pick this up. Hell, if you see it and you don't mind getting something that's essentially just more of the same, you're not really going to go wrong. But in and of itself, you can pass it without feeling any particular remorse.

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