Mind Control

It's kind of a bummer that we lost this band after only two releases. I must say, looking back on them now, Burning the Masses were one of the earliest technical deathcore bands and while their career was short-lived and overlooked, they really did contribute to the deathcore genre quite a bit in a time when most others just wanted to follow trends. That's right, 2008. A year when deathcore was all about the breakdown, scene kids, and crying about your ex! But not for BTM, no siree. One of the few albums that truly stood out in the time was the San Diego five-piece's debut, Mind Control, and album that I and a lot of others consider to be significant. In fact, so important that I still frequent the entire album to this day.

Typically, when you think of technical deathcore, the likes of early The Faceless and Rings of Saturn come to mind, in all their spacey-sounding, abstract-lyric, sci-fi glory. Burning the Masses is not one of those. Instead, their flavor of technical deathcore takes on a much rawer, more straight-forward yet aggressive form. What makes the album so appealing from start to finish is the edgy production and smoking-hot energy that balances out complex riffing with more traditional-style death metal rhythms and tasteful, sparingly-used breakdowns.

Right from the beginning, you're hooked with "Cinema", a 30-second intro of the New Line theme played on extra-trebley, harmonized guitars, which then rip right into "Paroxysm of Fear" - which is really an 'intro, part 2' for lack of a better term. The band hesitates not to immediately fire off a fast technical riff for about half the song's length, before coming to a crawl for a breakdown. The first 'real' song on the album is the title-track, where the album's themes are set in place.

"Mind Control", appropriately the early-appearing title-track, gives you a good mix of technical death metal riffs with some older metal/rock-based grooves and spontaneous shreddy fills. There are two breakdowns in the song, both of which come unpredictably and never overstay their welcome. This is something that non-deathcore fans can appreciate throughout Mind Control, is that unlike most deathcore, Burning the Masses is NOT 'all about the breakdown'. They're merely a supplement, a side dish to the real meat of the technical, headbanging grooves that are served generously.

Chris Valenzuela, guitar, is the shining star of Mind Control, as his riffs, intricate solos, and tight playing dominate the entire runtime. There isn't a single moment he gives up his pedestal to a predictable part of just chugs to keep core-lovers satisfied. His songwriting proves much integrity and massive skill. At times, it can almost feel like too much, when you might want to focus on another member's parts. But Valenzuela keeps you captivated the whole time, while also playing a sort of tug-of-war for the spotlight with vocalist David Montenegro's powerful yet standard death growls and high screams.

That being said, we also get a great deal of showmanship from drummer Chason Westmoreland, who seems to love his snare drum more than other part of the kit. He hits hard and furiously, holding down very rock n' roll-like rhythms, but still makes abundant use of a massive cymbal setup and very quick kick patterns.

To break up all of this fiery, flashy metal musicianship, there are also many moments of oddities throughout. The opening of "Gerascophobia" begins quite calm with clean guitars and very controlled finger-picking, eventually adding in distortion, then building up to an intense sequence of blast beats. "La Chupacabra" is an instrumental of classical Spanish guitar, albeit in the style of heavy metal shredding.

My favorite track from the album is "Nailgun Massacre", which makes its appearance in the second half. The highlight of the song (and possibly of the entire album) is the midway breakdown which makes use of a catchy, harmonized arpeggio lick that carries on through the two halves of the breakdown, both halves having different chug/kick patterns.

Then the whole thing ends with "Galactic Abduction", an obvious attempt by the band to give us a grand finale after their circus of a performance. It's another instrumental, this time with Valenzuela giving us one last hurrah of show-off shredding. It's an exciting track, but I kinda wish it was longer. In any case, it's a great way to end the album.

Burning the Masses were not a one-trick pony either, as they would go on a few years later to release Offspring of Time, a record even crazier and more technical than this. If only this band had stuck around longer, imagine what could have been. Well, we'll always have this - undeniably a modern classic and very important album that has aged quite well.

When most deathcore fans think of technical deathcore, they sadly think of bands like Infant Annihilator or Rings Of Saturn. Which a lot of those bands use a lot of of "wankery" in their songs. Which saddens me since those types of technical deathcore get the most attention. While you can consider technical deathcore a dying breed, if more modern bands listened to this album I think technical deathcore could have been saved from the plague of chugs and constant sweeps.

Mind Control is easily a prime example of what technical deathcore should have been. This album was made to be underrated. While there are more deathcore roots in this album, it still isn't a bad record at all. What this band has that most technical deathcore bands do not have is actual riffs. You can really hear some Necrophagist worship in the riffs. It really takes the influence from the older tech death bands and adding interesting riffs along with some sweeps here and there. Not being "wank" the entire time through out the songs. No names mentioned there, but you can honestly just look at any popular technical deathcore band and find this so called "wankery" I am talking about. Sadly this type of deathcore is most likely a dying breed. Someday I really hope someone really takes another look at this album and tries to revive the good tech-deathcore.

When it comes down to the fundamentals of this genre you can really take two routes while approaching this style. Going overboard with the sweeps and takes or you could add riffs, add sweeps where they are fitting, and have great riffs. Obviously Burning The Masses does the second route. They don't go way overboard with the whole technical style. They have great riffs, and little sweeps but still stay technical. My assumption with modern technical deathcore is these musicians try to show their ability to play guitar and just end up ruining the band with it. I find it way too much. This band, and a select few of older bands are really the ones that can do tech-deathcore right. It takes more of an actual technical death metal style and adds some deathcore elements, such as chugs, breakdowns, and mid vocals just to name a few.

Now onto the actual album, instead of me ranting about new tech-deathcore. I find this album to be Burning The Masses best record. It starts off with a very odd guitar intro that you could confuse as bagpipes, and have you asking "am I listening to the right band?" Why yes, I assure you that this is the correct band. Then when that intro fades out of the song, the second track hits you with a heavy tiff with some really fitting pinch harmonics added here and there. The first two tracks don't have any vocals, but it really gets the listener in the mood to listen to the album in the right way.

Even though 'Planetary Duality' by The Faceless came out the same year as this album. I can really hear a lot of Faceless tendencies in this album. More of an 'Akeldama' part 2 by a different band. They seem to be very similar when it comes to taking technical death metal influence. The third track is probably my favorite on the album. The sweeps are so well placed and the riffs are so heavy and somewhat satisfying. The real attraction to this song for me is easily the breakdown. The breakdown in the third track 'Mind Control' is one of the most creative breakdowns I have ever heard. It is extremely groovy and really fun to listen to. It is really nice to hear a breakdown that doesn't have a single chug throughout it. Really refreshing when you have been listening to deathcore for a while.

The entire album is really underrated, such great song writing ability this band has shown on this album. I really cannot believe the other reviews on this album. They say this band has gone "generic'' and ''like every other deathcore band,'' I assure you, it is far from generic. This band really sticks out when it comes to quality. Technical deathcore should have really taken more influence from this band. I would say that if more bands really took influence from this album, tech-deathcore wouldn't be so frowned upon these days. This album was more about quality over showing off their talent. I highly recommend this album for people who like technical death metal.

For fans of: The Red Shore, The Faceless, Beneath The Massacre.

Some groups in the rock/metal scene have gained popularity soley based on the quality of their music, a good example being Rush, who have managed to keep the same lineup intact since 1974. In this example, the group have never swayed their means or adopted any aspect of "popular" music for any reason other than for pure, unadulterared, experimentation. It's progressive rock after all, so a band cannot be condemned for expanding their sound into new ground as long as they have something to add or say to the genre of music which they feel has not or will not be stated by some other artist in the future. So, by this logic, it's perfectly fine to experiment in something deemed popular, or even "trendy", as long as the musicians are able to interpret this genre or element in a way which is, in some way, "progressive". This, along with some truly stellar, classic rock songs, has ensured the band a lifetime of continuous obsession and love from countless fans, myself included.

In the 80's, however, Rush began to experiment with the addition of synthesizer and keyboards, with the emphasis on guitar being lowered somewhat. This led to many fans labeling the band "synth rock" or "pop rock", although the band still no doubt retained the same highly intelligent themes they held in the past, separating them largely from their contemporaries. Similarly, deathcore band Burning the Masses are performing a genre of music often maligned and despised, although with a new, personal twist which adds to the appeal and the edge of the music (which is absent in nearly all of their contemporaries). In addition to breakdowns, growls, and blast beats, at times the group will introduce neo-classical guitar solos, classical/spanish influenced acoustic guitar interludes, Gorguts inspired death-jazz fusions, and lyrics which often focus on darker, more mysterious subjects. This often leads to a fairly entertaining listen. A wide variety of influences are presented, often presented very well. For instance, the track "Euphoria Ends" lasts for well over five minutes, yet still manages to avoid breakdowns completely, seamlessly floating from riff to riff in a sea of technical death metal potential. Other tracks, such as "Mind Control", showcase similar ideas, though the reliance of "br00tal" breakdowns always becomes tedious. In addition to standard breakdowns, the members of the band (for whatever reason, which totally escapes me) perform a slower, absolutly boring and fucking stupid kind of breakdown, which is played extremly slowly and tears apart the song until the listener feels the impending desire to mutilate their ears.

A good example of this would be the third track on the disc, entitled "Mind Control". The track utilizes a strongly death metal-influenced base in it's opening, and the song manages to retain it's edge despite the use of breakdowns in the first minute. Around the 1:11 mark, we are introduced to a very technical melody which soars over the blasting drums and screaming guitars, a sound very rarely seen in deathcore. Unfortunatly, seconds later, a build-up for a rather unnoteworthy breakdown occurs, before the band let loose their inner Gorguts with a jazz-influenced riff. Up to this point, we have a rather enjoyable technical death metal song with one or two breakdowns, though these have been well sewen into the song so that there are no open seams or threads hanging out. Up to this point, the song is enjoyable. After this point, however, we are treated to an insipid breakdown which makes my bowels churn upon a simple listen. This breakdown is so fucking stupid, that it's existance is like a shitstain on an otherwise perfectly good pair of underwear. Fortunatly, this breakdown fucking dies only seconds later, and we are allowed to re-concentrate on the music. Back to the Gorguts inspired section, and then a well-done buildup (with a bebop-ish bass line playing in the background underneath guitar distortion) for a well written Gorguts influenced riff, though the hardcore influences gradually leak back into the song and a final breakdown occurs, this time much more cliche, yet not as dumb as the previous. The final few seconds of the song are rather uneventful, unfortunatly, but we are left with an at least partially decent track to look back on.

Fortunatly, other songs are written with much more emphasis on songwriting, as opposed to the "br00tality". Not all the songs contain breakdowns, namely the aforementioned five plus minute opus "Euphoria Ends", as well as the track "Arms Raised, Eyes Closed" (though the last few seconds of the song feature a churning breakdown rhythm behind a technical lead, though the primary focus is upon the lead). Also notable are the inclusions of three instrumental, experimental numbers, "Cinema", "Chupacabra", and "Galactic Abduction". These numbers range from progressive metal, to latin/acoustic, and while many's first impression may be disbelief, I can assure you that these are incorporated well into the band's sound. One track, entitled "Gerascophobia", features a progressive metal sounding introduction, before leading into an enjoyable assortment of technical death metal/deathcore riffs, playing off each other with relative ease, and once again, making for a rather memorable listen, with several truly great riffs sneaking in (2:42).

In addition to this, however, several tracks still manage to fall flat. For instance, the rather insipid "Paroxysm of Fear" constantly grates on my nerves even after repeated listens of attempting to "understand" it. As well, certain moments of tracks like "Nailgun Massacre" and "Cyanide" will no doubt have the listener rolling their eyes in annoyance. While breakdowns work well in some tracks, instances like the end of "Cyanide" are hard to ignore, as the "ulta-slow" breakdowns tend to, as previously stated, grate on the nerves quite a bit. Fortunatly, the majority of the record is still relativly enjoyable, and while it sports many, many holes, there is no doubt that Burning the Masses have potential, be it as a deathcore band or otherwise.

I will leave you with this; while the album is well written and very enjoyable in parts, the band often trail off and set their focus on other, less important areas. If the band would only learn to incorporate the breakdowns better into their overall sound, without creating such a large splash and contrasting with the riffs and solos so much, we would no doubt have a an album rated in the 70 or possibly even 80 range. However, I suggest that you check this recording out either way, as it's worth no doubt outweighs it's worthlessness.

My favourite tracks:
"Gerascophobia",
"Mind Control",
"Euphoria Ends",
"Arms Raised, Eyes Closed"

Review originally posted at http://www.teethofthedivine.com by Erik Thomas

Not to be outdone by Metal Blade’s group of teenage deathcore kids, Fate, here come Mediaskare/Century Media with their own group of growling, blasting, shredding, breakdowning kids plucked right from the halls of a San Diego High school.

Though most might cringe at yet another group of snot nosed kids who can’t even buy a beer releasing a ‘death metal’ album, the fact is, this lot are pretty darn talented. They are more brutal and technical than Fate, and their presentation is a far more pure death metal, in fact, I’d say Burning the Masses have more in common skill and delivery wise to The Faceless, and at times I was thinking to my self that Mediaskare has found the deathcore equivalent to Decapitated.

With a sticker claiming the CD for fans of Between the Buried and Me and Necrophagist to reel in all sorts of curious fans, the fact is Mind Control is a tech death metal album with some breakdowns and some pretty nifty solos, making them far more appealing than the usual Bring Me The Horizon styled tripe that’s so vogue now.

Dave Montenegro has a standard roar/growl, but the rest of his cohorts have a grasp of dynamics and talent far age their age group. The guitar skills of Chris Valenzuela and Arde Ostowari are on display through each song, though flamenco themed interlude “Chupacabra” and very entertaining closing instrumental number “Galactic Abduction”, (no do dissimilar to Fate’s “Vultures” as far as pure melodic shred) put them at front and center. Even with three tracks from their Volatile Existence demo (”Mind Control”, “Cyanide”, “Nailgun Massacre”) the material on Mind Control blends perfectly in short bursts (2-3 minutes) of crumbling, blasting, technical death metal with deathcore undertones. The production is stout, the lyrics are not to forced death metal or stupid (despite the bands apparent love of Natures own) and the frequent solos give the material a short in its teenage arm that belies the bands age.

Tracks like “Moltres”, “Euphoria Ends”, the aptly titled “Prodigy”, can go toe to toe with most of the years second tier of tech death metal and deathcore releases (Whitechapel, Carnifex, Catalepsy, After The Burial, The Faceless, Days of Betrayal, Suicide Silence, Glasgow Grin, Fate Happy Face, etc), but I’ll admit they have not quite got that ‘wow’ factor and I imagine their age and deathcore stigma will keep too many older folks from checking them out. Still, with these guys barely out of diapers they only have room to grow, improve and make a real dent in the scene.

In a related note I have started my own label and my first signing is a group of deathcore kids from my daughters childcare called Diaper Rash, look for their first demo called “Teething is a Bitch” early next year.

With their previous EP Burning the Masses put themselves way ahead of the deathcore genre, breaking away from the typical stale formula found in every other band. Excellent riffs and brilliant solos were what they brought to the table. Sure the bass was inaudible and the vocals were generic but when backed up by excellent riffing it didn't matter. So once you're at the top of the ladder where else can you go? Falling right the fuck off and landing in a pile of shit is where.

Remember those mind blowing solos found on the EP? You know the one in Deprived of Purity that melts your face? Yeah, none of that on here. Instead we get lame ass breakdowns. They still have solos but they're more of a "hey look how technical and pointless I can play" solo. Sometimes they'll switch it up and throw in that "I'm going to dance on my guitar" wankery riff. Something I expect to see in a Necrophagist or a Faceless album, not here. Speaking of The Faceless, the vocals sound identical, not that it's a bad thing but get some variety for fucks sake.
The drumming even sounds bland! Not that it was phenomenal on their EP but it was better then this rehashed bullshit. Their bassist is so mind blowing that during the recording process the band decided to turn the bass all the way down. Yeah that's right, you can't even tell it's there.

Besides the obvious lack of song writing skills the one major flaw the band has is that every thing sounds the same. The only way you know you're on a different track is because they decided to throw in some lame acoustic interlude. There was also no point to put three songs from their previous EP onto the album. All it shows is the lack of creativity the band has.

Not that it matters but even their song titles are garbage now, Gerascophobia and Chupacabra, what the fuck?

Way to go mediaskare, you turned an unknown and decent deathcore band into generic garbage, congratulations.