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Vermin > Define : Divine > Reviews
Vermin - Define : Divine

Too blunt teeth does this vermin have - 55%

Lane, July 5th, 2012

The sole Vermin alive nowadays are this Dutch death metal band. They've been battering since 2002 and 'Define : Divine' is their third full length album to date.

All right, the band's playing is tight. They have pretty mechanic impression in the rhythmic work. Not as much as Fear Factory for example, though. Finger tapped guitar solos and some rare ambient guitar work remind of Meshuggah, and add to the mechanic feeling. The guitar riffs are influenced by US death metal, from Cannibal Corpse's warbling style to Hate Eternal's massive and fast riff-wall, and to heavy 'n' slow riffage. And as Vermin like to blast aplenty, the result sounds a lot like Hate Eternal's. Vermin use breakdowns which add some groove. Aborted isn't far at some points. Or Dying Fetus. It is simply hellishly challenging to be noticed among voluminous cohort of death metal bands. Vermin do not manage to sound individual at all, and while there are some good riffs, it all feels too familiar. The vocals vary from rabid growl to shouting.

The production is partly mechanic (especially the drums), partly organic (majority of the guitars and the vocals). This is well and accurately performed. The lyrics are about religions that crush "self" and feeling shitty in this shitty world. The cover art is strangely fascinating, even though it's PhotoShopped, but it definitely made me to anticipate for far more technical stuff. Other pages are definitions of ugliness.

While Vermin can blast and in any case be loud, they still can not get under my skin. Their hooks aren't sharp enough for my battle-hardened skin.

(originally written for ArchaicMetallurgy.com in 2009)

Vermin - Define : divine - 65%

Phuling, January 17th, 2010

It feels like Vermin’s received all around quite good reviews for "Define : divine", but in all honesty it doesn’t speak to me as much as it seems to have done to others. It’s just too much deathcore at times, and that’s probably what’s rubbing me the wrong way. The instrumental "Inferiorganism" manage to really get the juices flowing in anticipation of what’s to come, as they slickly mix in classic American death metal with the more modern day technicality of Europe. But unfortunately it just doesn’t follow through enough during the album’s 38 minutes.

They definitely blend in pretty much every death metal subgenre there is. At times it’s technical to the point where my mind goes towards Iniquity, some moments go for total slam and I get Abominable Putridity flashbacks. There’s also a sense of more classic Swedish brutality in the vein of Deranged just as a few touches get me thinking of Morbid Angel. So there’s no doubt about this act’s versatility, however it doesn’t leave a lasting impression. Nothing wrong with the riffing; it’s technical when it should, it’s semi-melodic when the task requires it and it has both a chugging sense as a chainsaw ability. But still the main-part of it doesn’t leave me in awe, and it can actually almost be forgotten as one focuses solely on the blasting. And while there’s nothing wrong with the drumming per se, during the faster parts it gets a little dull, like he’s just going on autopilot at times. But when they mix and match everything, going from blazing to heavy churning (as in "I walk among you") they really get the juices flowing once again. It has just the right amount of heaviness, brutality and technicality, and it’s oh-so-sweet.

The main-vocals are growls, as one expects it to be for death metal. He does however offer quite some diversity with screams of various pitches. Truth be told he leans a wee bit too close to metalcore shouts every once in a while, but that goes hand in hand with the deathcore material they present. And I have problems with deathcore as it sounds too mainstream, as if nu-metal kids try to play brutal death metal but fail terribly at it. Thankfully Vermin doesn’t suck to that degree, I mean these guys actually know how to play death metal, I just think they’re trying too hard to appeal to the youngsters and compromise their own brutality. It’s not a bad album, it has its moments when it really shines, but as they seemingly have all the elements at hand to create a terrific album it’s unfortunately quite easily forgotten. And please quit the core/nu shite that’s on the verge of Slipknot suckiness in "Surrounded by the silent"; it scares the shit out of me.

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