Ravaging the Pristine

As I noted in my review of Grotesque Impalement by Dying Fetus, Fetus' influence runs heavily through pretty much any Baltimore metal band, often to the point of repetativeness. Over the years the Pessimists and Psychotogens and the Severed Heads of Maryland have played grindy death metal with a heavy Fetus style to the point that we may not need another one.

However, Bruce Grieg, still rabid for metal after leaving Misery Index, put together another grindy four piece that has all of his former band's fingerprints all over it, and not much to show for itself. Sure the band is talented, and made up of local death superstars (and recently acquired ex Cryptopsy singer Martin La Croix), but one can't help but listen and say "well...it's good...BUT...."

Bruce is a talented artist, and capable of injecting originality into his music (his hardcore band, Together We Fall, for example, is certainly distinctive and one of a kind), but tracks like Ravaging The Pristine just don't cut enough of their own path to let someone take notice, or even to let them believe that they aren't listening to lost Misery Index tracks.

However, 3 songs do not a career make. Perhaps the band's enormous talent and new singer can help steer them in the proper direction in the future.....