Reign Supreme

Dying Fetus has been my go-to brutal death metal band for a while, mostly thanks to their balance of excellent brutal death metal riffs, mosh-friendly sections, and groovy breakdowns. While their last album was a dud mostly for its long song lengths that led to some bloat and aimlessness, this album is what I would show to those who want to get into brutal death metal, showing them it's not all slams and breakdowns. Being the band that pioneered the Baltimore style of brutal death metal, you should already expect that this band does not sound like your midwest brutal death metal band, DF has an increased focus on technicality compared to other brutal death metal bands while still keeping things simple for fans that want to just simply mosh, which is why DF is my recommended gateway band for brutal death metal.

This album plays like any other Dying Fetus album but is more refined, just like any band that dabbles in their respective genre for a long time. While this might seem like a detriment to some (because of material repetition), the riffs here do separate themselves from previous albums. But even without that, what Dying Fetus (and bands that took influence from them like Criminal Element and Misery Index) played here is still unmistakably brutal death metal. Really excellent brutal death metal. All the riffs here are very catchy and interesting, and the same can be said for the breakdowns (not the breakdowns from -core bands, but actual death metal breakdowns like the one in Suffocation's Liege of Inveracity). While the album is short (37.5 minutes), the number of riffs here makes use of almost every single second of the album's run time, making it an album full of killer material with no filler.

The album also increased the presence of technical guitar solos, riffs and basslines compared to their previous album, Descend Into Depravity which is something I liked since I am already accustomed to even more technical bands like Origin. The album also changes up their sounds frequently enough to keep things interesting throughout its runtime, constantly going back and forth from groovy breakdowns, to mid-paced rhythm sections, to noodly solos, all while not sounding overly convoluted like prog/tech bands that went all in on musical expression and forgot that they are making things too inaccessible (looking at you post-Mike Portnoy Dream Theater).

The instrumentation/production are also quite interesting; it uses panning to differentiate the three instruments here. John Gallagher (vocals/guitar) on the left channel, Sean Beasley (secondary vocals/bass) on the right channel, while the drums stay squarely in the middle, also utilizing panning to make the hi-hat/left toms/snare respond to the left channel while the crash/ride cymbal and right side toms respond to the right channel. This gave Dying Fetus a fuller sound and a soundscape as rich as a five-piece band (like they used to be back in the day). Another result of this production decision is making the bass more audible, as the bass guitar gets its own audio channel to express itself on, and I think this is required as Sean's basslines are just as catchy and important as Gallagher's riffs and gave the band its current sound that they are praised for. Also the drums don't sound triggered at all, which is a plus for me.

This is definitely their best album up until now, and I hope their upcoming album can dethrone this one.

Highlights: All songs

I've never thought of any album as perfect. I would never rate any album 100%, simply because it doesn't feel right to me. There have been many very close ones that are near flawless, and Dying Fetus's 2012 effort, "Reign Supreme", is one of them. This album is not only one of modern death metal's best, or brutal death metal's best, but one of the greatest death metal albums ever conceived, sitting alongside classics like Death's "Leprosy" and Entombed's "Left Hand Path".


The album starts with an absolute face-ripper, "Invert the Idols". Quite the short song, this 2-minute masterpiece displays the amazing production on this album and gives a positive foreshadowing of what is to come. Brutal death metal's equivalent of "Ace of Spades", if you will. My only complaint for this song is that is ends too soon. But that regret is instantly gone upon hearing "Subjected to a Beating", one of the many tracks on this album that has an amazing riff. Along with amazing production, Dying Fetus brings some absolutely monstrous riffs and colossal hooks to this album, while also smoothly combining them with technical mastery. In fact, that's really how the rest of the album goes on, ridiculously catchy riffs, crunchy hooks, and some technicality generously sprinkled on top. When I discovered Dying Fetus, this was the album I listened to first, and my mind was blown. It was as if I had found the musical equivalent of the Philosopher's Stone. If any of you metalheads find yourself trying to introduce someone to brutal death metal, this is possibly the best album to start that person off with. It features Dying Fetus's best production, some of their best riffs and amazing growling vocals (that sound brutal but are also comprehensible at times too). Albums like "Destroy the Opposition" and "Wrong One to Fuck With" fall as close seconds to this album, but the punishing sound and sheer brutality in this album is unopposed by any album in their discography.


While writing this review, I am listening to "Reign Supreme" and I am still left as speechless as I was the first time I listened to this record. This album is the perfect combination of roaring riffs, horrendously-awesome hooks, and terrific technicality, all tied up in a very catchy package. This album does its title justice and reigns supreme over any other brutal death metal album. "Reign Supreme" has pushed Dying Fetus into death metal royalty, and should be hailed by generations of metalheads to come. In short, this is a modern classic.


Top Tracks:
- All of them, every single one

Maryland brutal deathgrind metallers Dying Fetus have always been a consistent band, but to release at this point of their career what is definitely their best album yet, is something nobody expected. "Reign Supreme" is nothing but thirty-seven minutes of concentrated brutality, completely packed with furious blast beats, intricate riffing, slam riffs, tempo changes and sheer freatboard madness; the whole lot is seasoned by the band's characteristic hook-laden song structures, allowing the tracks to be violent and full of uncompromising aggression, yet at the same time catchy and fun to listen to.

Analyzing the omplex music on this record is no easy task, but I'll start pointing out that the vocal trade-off between guitarist John Gallagher and bassist Sean Beasley, alternating inhumanly low gutturals and higher register growls, is one of the band's most typical and succeeded features: it adds variety and dynamics to the compositions, perfectly matching the rhytmics of the slower sessions and boosting the most energetic ones even further. The bass and the guitars work in synchrony for almost the whole duration of the album, and while the former is quite topped by the latter during the rhytmic sessions, it really shines during the lead parts, where it serves as a solid basis for the lead guitar or, even better, follows the axe's technical frenzy, exploding in mind blowing sweep-picked sessions. The guitars sound pleasantly polished thanks to the extremely modern and accurate production, but at the same time distorted, heavy, crunchy and aggressive, perfectly matching the music.

As stated above, the axe department relies on incredible arpeggios, tapping and solos during the lead sessions or the licks, proving the astounding technical prowess of the musicians, but without being out of place or self-indulgent, instead enriching the songs and enhancing the adrenaline rush they convey; the riffs are hook-laden, slam riffs for the most part, with power chords based structures and great taste in the employment of palm muting, while during the faster, most furious parts they turn lightspeed-fast and tremolo picked, backed by the incredible drumming of Trey Williams.

Speaking of his performance, it's pleasantly over the top, brutal and extreme, yet tasteful: he is fast, REALLY fast, precise, and capable of performing any kind of blast beat groove like nothing, even gravity blasts, obviously while keeping an incredibly strict pace with the double bass, which reaches and keeps absurd speeds for most of the album's duration. But his skills don't stop here, as he can slow down, following the sudden tempo changes of most of the platter, and follow slower, groovier rhytmics, without sacrificing his trademark power and aggression. One of extreme metal's best drummers, for sure.

As I said above, the production is pleasantly polished and modern, the guitar sound is great and the drums sound amazing too, from the double bass, to the snare, to the cymbals. The vocals are powerful and thundering, everything is perfect, if I wanted to split hairs, I'd say the bass is often buried in the mix quite a bit, but it still has a lot of moments where it shines, so it's not really a big deal. The lyrics are carefully written, brutal, original, intelligent and not cheesy at all, dealing mainly with themes of political criticism and social issues.

Each one of the nine tracks is absolutely amazing and top-notch, but if I had to choose my favourites, I'd mention "Invert the Idols", a short, straigth to the point song that perfectly embodies the core of Dying Fetus' music, thanks to the caustic, anti-religious lyrics, the relentless freatboard bravado, the powerful drumming, and the hook-laden riffing; "Subjected to a Beating", probably the album's best, with a first session made of powerful, power chord-based riffs, a second session where the pace suddenly accelerates, characterized by incredible tremolo picking and vicious blast beats, and a finale with more frenzied arpeggios. "From Womb to Waste" offers a mean depiction of the band's views on abortion, packed once again by slam riffs in the first third, a second third where all the instruments literally explode and the tempo speeds up, and a groovier, catchy and slower final one. "Second Skin" holds the place for "most technical song on the album" (just listen to the intro and you'll get the idea), with sudden tempo changes, crushing palm-muted breakdowns, sweeps, tremolo picking, quick gallops, and crazy solos. Surely one of my favourites. Finally, "In the Trenches" is packed with particularly tasty riffs, and catchy vocal lines, also alluding to the album's title and beautiful cover art.

This is one of those records that hold high the banner of metal, one of those that will always stand proud as time marches on: it's so brutal, it could easily melt your face, techincal, extremely heavy, catchy, fun to listen to, well composed; the lyrics are well written, and every instrument is pleasantly over the top, resulting in an amazing display of extreme music rightfully taken to the maximum extent. Don't miss it for any reason, listen to it now!

Three years after Descend into Depravity, a quite mediocre album at the least, Dying Fetus released Reign Supreme.  This album marks a very well-rounded turn in their career that shows a lot of potential for the future (a potential hardly met with 2017's Wrong One to Fuck With).  Continuing with their deathgrind-influenced take on technical death metal, Dying Fetus paved through 2012 with one of the greatest albums of their career.

Reign Supreme is like Destroy the Opposition.  It is packed to the brim with those catchy deathgrind riffs that this band is known for as well as technical wizardry to fill in the cracks.  For me, they peaked with this album.  It has a massive sound with crushing vocals, riffs, and songwriting qualities.  Looking at tracks such as "Invert the Idols," "Dissidence," and "Subjected to a Beating," it is clear that they put a lot of time and effort into this album.

Like I said, their previous release was not their best, and this album indefinitely blew it out of the water.  Let's look at the riffs on here.  I previously mentioned a few songs, but one that I would especially like to point out is "Subjected to a Beating."  The structure of this song is something very important to this album.  This song can be divided into three parts.  The first is the slow, deathgrind beginning that lasts around a minute.  Second is the fast, riffing part that includes a bit of melody and mostly brutality.  The third part is the melodic, shredding outro.  After listening to the song a lot, these three parts become more and more defined.  Having these three sections gives the track not only depth, but also character.  Character is important for a band like Dying Fetus, as their groovy riffs can oftentimes run into each other.  This song structure can be seen in songs like  "From Womb to Waste," but they are usually in just two parts instead of three.

Production is important, especially for a technical band.  Thankfully, this album has incredible production.  The guitars are crisp and have a perfect edge to them, the drums aren't too popping, and the bass is just audible.  I could use for the bass to be a little more present, but the album sounds good enough that audible bass barely crosses my mind while listening to it.

With good production, great riffs, vocals that tear down walls, and a great ratio of groove and technicality, Dying Fetus took their sound to a new level with this release.  If only they continued that on their 2017 release, however, it is good to keep in mind that not two consecutive albums in Dying Fetus' discography sound exactly alike.

Overall Rating: 99%

Originally written for themetalvoid.wordpress.com

I chose to review this one of their latest because I thought that it was catchier and sort of the essence of a better Dying Fetus-esque vibe than their current release. Not to mention that I like the production on here, it's solid. The vocals have never been my favorite listening moments in Dying Fetus albums, but they want to keep it underground and I have no problem in saying "okay, this is how you want to do it, you can change it up here and there." John Gallagher and Sean Beasely trade off on vocals so it's variety, at least.

What's so gripping about this release is the music above everything else. Dying Fetus just tears it up in the guitar department. The arpeggios whizzing up and down the fret-board alongside thick guitar artistry tempos really are all over the place. But the execution of the drums along the guitar is what makes this a gem. I don't think I've liked a Dying Fetus album more than this one. Honestly, I don't care that they sing about morbid topics such as hatred and violence mixed with some flirty political views. This is brutal death metal, they can write what they deem fitting to write about.

I cannot get enough of the guitars and energy. They rip it up and the vocals keep the music sounding darker than it actually is. So yeah, it's from every aspect from what's been talked about the band forming in Maryland circa 1991 alongside members comping and going in the band, it seems that they have their strongest, most gripping lineup since forming.

The blast beats I can deal with since I favor bands like Napalm Death during the Mick Harris (ex-Napalm Death/Defecation) era of drummers and totally am into the grind Napalm Death days where it was just raw. At the time Dying Fetus formed, ND's "Harmony Corruption" was released (I believe that year, 1991). So they tackled their influences in the grind mode but strain it deeper with more memorable arpeggios and tremolo picking that's almost robotic. The drums have been criticized on here ('Reign Supreme') yet I think the snare is just fine.

Altogether, we've touched on the production, the music, the lyrical concepts, the originality in songwriting (to a certain extent) and the vocals. There's no reason why this album is nothing closer to perfect than anything in their entire discography. You might have to just download this album or listen to it on YouTube. Check out "Subjected To A Beating", "In the Trenches", "Devout Atrocity" and "The Blood of Power." In the words of Chuck Schuldiner (RIP): "keep the metal faith alive." Get this one, NOW!

Where do I begin when discussing this monster of an album? Well, to say that this is the best thing Dying Fetus has ever done wouldn't be doing nearly as much justice that it deserves. Not only is this the most enjoyable outing this band has put out, but I will go as far to say that this is one of the best death metal albums of all time, if not the best. It takes everything that makes Dying Fetus great and multiplies every factor by 100. Catchy riffs? Check. Masterful musicianship? Check. Grooves that manage to be brutal as hell but also infectious? Check. The list goes on and on.

What helps make everything come together to make such a masterpiece is the perfect production. The album not only has a distinctive sound for the band, but also in the genre. If you have great music, it helps to also have a unique sound for your record, and "Reign Supreme" exceeds flawlessly. Whether we're talking about how brutal the drums sound or how heavy the guitars are, everything manages to come together to make for an unrelenting assault on the senses that never puts brutality before quality. "War Of Attrition" suffered a bit from brutality over quality, but Dying Fetus' past 2 records have done well at getting back to the band's roots with being insanely catchy and memorably technical. The fact that the record as a whole sounds massive in terms of production makes it better. If this sounded exactly like the band's debut, it probably wouldn't have come out quite as good.

As I have said, this album seems to go back to the band's roots when it comes to being catchy and not forgetting about being technical, and thankfully, it never puts one over the other. The balance of infectious grooves and fantastic musicianship is flawlessly done here and you never feel like you're listening to a "wank fest" that tries too hard to be as technical as possible. What we mainly have here is a 38 minute riff fest that never lets up from the get go. From the opening guitar sweeps in "Invert The Idols" to the simply but somehow memorable riff in the bonus track "Dead Whores Love To Fuck", the music is consistently brutal and remarkable. Those are just 2 songs, though. Everything else in between deserves the highest of praise. "From Womb To Waste" is one of the catchiest damn death metal songs you will ever hear, "Revisionist Past" benefits from being surprisingly melodic in parts, "Devout Atrocity" is just a goddamn monster, and the same can be said about the other songs as well as being catchier than, well, anything that can be considered catchy.

If you plan on making a death metal album that people can remember for years to come, take notes from Dying Fetus. Not all of their albums may be perfect, but this album is as close to perfection that you can get. Good luck to any other death metal act out there that strives to be as good as this, you're going to need it.

Highlights:
From Womb To Waste
Revisionist Past
In The Trenches
Subjected To A Beating

Dying Fetus are a band that are usually highly acclaimed by the metal community - and why not? Their breed of brutal death metal is actually pretty unique. With highly violent lyrics, even more violent music and vocal tones that are different to the standard, pig sounding vocals you'd expect from your standard "br00tal" bands that actually make them stand way out. My first encounter with this band was the same as it was for Exhumed - I was interested, but the first listen didn't do anything for me. After the next couple of listens, I ended up loving them. This album was the one that brought these guys to my radar and it's still my favorite. So, what should you expect from this album?

Right from the beginning you know these guys don't fuck around - "Invert The Idols" gives you an insight to what this band are aiming for. Behind the mind bending, technical leads, there is serious groove in every song. The brutality never stands in the way of rhythm or vice-versa; it's a perfect mish-mash of everything I love about death metal. While some songs have more of a focus on the technical, almost grindcore-influenced leads ("Second Skin," "Devout Atrocity," etc.) are separated by songs that have more emphasis on groovy riffage ("In The Trenches," "From Womb to Waste," "'The Blood of Power," etc.) and really work with each other perfectly. In terms of musical ability, everyone kicks major ass the entire time - the drumming is insane, the vocals are fantastic and the guitars are fucking great. Everything about the performance reeks of professionalism. Production wise, it's not bad, but the mix could definitely use more treble to make things clearer, but maybe that's just me.

Throughout the time I've listened to these guys, I've actually found myself quite liking their lyrics too. "In The Trenches," and "Subjected to a Beating" specifically have some really well crafted lyrics with some really dark imagery. If you're into that sorta thing, this record does it well. Think Cannibal Corpse + stuff like Misery Index (yes, I know Misery Index are related to these guys, and yes, I know they came later - stop it). The whole composition from top to bottom is damn-near flawless once you understand the style of music. I'll tell you this much, I'd kill to see "In The Trenches," live.

If you are a fan of stuff like Exhumed and Aborted or General Surgery, you'll probably like this album alot. If you aren't, I'd still recommend giving it a try. You might just find yourself loving these guys like I did. When all is said and done Dying Fetus are well known in the metal community for a reason - they play the type of music they play extremely well and it's a pretty popular style among death metal fans. If you're one of them, give it a try. If not, try it anyway because I found this was the album to get me into some of the heaviest shit I know of, excluding stuff like Devourment and Benighted - and god knows, those guys are in a league of their own when it comes to "br00tality."

Back on the attack with a formidable new line-up, long-running tech/grind powerhouse Dying Fetus is pretty more more-of-the-same from the dynamic death metal mongers, and that is certainly cause for celebration after a rocky history. That’s all gone, now, with one listen through this rattling monster.

Despite the initial appearance of an ambient intro, “Invert the Idols” is anything but, roaring through with an impressive guitar attack, growling vox, distorted bass lines and the kind of drumming that just slams the listener at full force and reminds of the bands’ past glories, all in a quick strike attack. Second song, “Subjected to a Beating,’ is again classic Fetus, with more relentless drumming, vicious guitar work and that just utterly unmistaken groove these guys have patented in the genre, highlighted during the first instrumental break mid-way through the song where it just ups the brutality and lets loose with abandon, intent on letting the song title come to fruition no matter the outcome or severity of their attack. Much of the same can be said for ‘Second Skin’ and ‘From Womb to Waste’ with their unrelenting patterns and technical guitar attacks overmatched by the relentless barking vocals that are just perfectly illustrated Fetus at their best. ‘Invert the Idols’ is rather memorable for its row of battering double-bass frenzy in the last half that’s pummeling and over-the-top brutal, and ‘Revisionist Past’ scores major points for what might be the album’s best riffing, just absolutely devastating work here and makes for a great song overall.

As awesome as those songs are, nothing tops ‘Dissidence’ in the intensity stakes, charging forth like a runaway bulldozer packing chainsaws, the violence it unleashes is nothing short of impressive. The razor-wire riffs, back-loaded drumming and ferocious vocal whiplash enough to bring even the most ardent fan to their knees as they’re whipped into a frenzy with that absolutely frantic groove gets thrown into the mix barely twenty seconds into the offering. This is the pit-ready song on the album and it’s about as essential as it comes on the album. With the perfectly-timed change-ups and surprise fills placed within, this one gets the blood boiling and the head banging as best as can be. The final assault, ‘The Blood of Power’ is nearly as fun with its near-relentless pounding, technically-proficient soloing, frenetic pacing that just goes over the edge so often it’s insane and the demented, growling vocals meshing perfectly to end the beating on a high-note.

So, once again we get the same-old, same-old with Dying Fetus here, and that also includes the band’s penchant for seeming to find difficulty in distinguishing songs from each other. Picking a song from anywhere in the album at random and finding an excuse to place it in the first couple spaces in the running order can easily be accomplished since the brutality level would stay the same and you’d still have scorchers spread throughout the album because the entire thing plays pretty much the same way. As great as it is to see and hear them going all-out like this, there’s very little diversity among the tracks as they appear to follow the same formula: technically-intense riff, chaotic drum-work blasting beneath everything and enunciation-free growling spewed forth through the entire album. Those who use this explanation and write the band off are missing the point totally here, but as a thought it can be accurate to assume that line of thinking. Hopefully, the impressive, crystal-clear production (a problematic area for them in the past) and inventive songwriting combined with rabid performances prove otherwise, as this was wholly impressive overall.

Never really listened to a Dying Fetus album before. I'll be honest for a while I found the name to be quite disgusting and that alone quashed any interest in the band I had. But of course we should never judge a book by its cover now, should we? Reign Supreme is actually a pretty decent album, although for me it does have a few noticeable flaws.

I really like the guitar play on this album. It is mostly mid paced groovy death metal, that infectious kind that is just fun as hell to listen to. There are also some noodly moments here and there but it doesn't go into the tech death wankery thank god. At times the speed does pick up, even if briefly, which can be a welcomed change of pace. But overall its the groove that really owns this album and makes it something that kept me from being bored of listening to it.

One of the flaws with Reign Supreme is the drumming. To be more specific the sound of the snare drum. The drumming itself is actually really good and I enjoyed it. But the snare sounds so processed and fake like. And with the amount of blast beating that goes on it just kind of sucks the life from what could be a really great part of the album. And the Bass seems to be quite lost in the mix.

I do like the vocals. Its a deep death growl that almost borders on pig squeals at times. Though it is usually quite difficult to understand a word Sean Beasley is saying! Oh well I enjoyed his performance anyways, its a very primal and brutal growl that definitely gets the job done. The production is pretty solid for the album. Besides the bass being almost non-existent. Its clean and crisp and the guitars have just the right bite to them.

So Dying Fetus have produced a pretty brutal album with heaps of groove. Its the riffs that are the key to the success here I believe. I mean sure the vocals are extreme and the production is strong but the riffing elevates RS to being more than just another run of the mill death metal album. Still, while Reign Supreme is a good listen it also doesn't do a whole lot more than any other band does. Its not progressive in any way, but they seem to have embraced their niche and are making the best of it. As long as the quality holds up the way it has on RS, I'm fine with that.

At this point, it's almost assured we as a community know who Dying Fetus is. Any death metal enthusiast has surely come across them, and their popularity is well earned. A few slips aside (I'm looking at you 'War of Attrition') they have consistently satisfied with their releases. Dying Fetus has three aspects to their music: the straight IN YOUR FACE death metal, the technical guitar and drum wizardry and their trademark groove and catchiness.

It is this groove aspect that sets the band apart from many death metal acts, and it is in this aspect that 'Reign Supreme' truly shines. I got this album early and have listened to it about 10 times all the way through, and I am still enthralled with the riffing that the guys have put forth on their seventh album. It is mostly agreed upon that 'Destroy the Opposition' is their finest work, but I think this new album supplants it.

Every track is a blast to the senses, and refuses to be ignored. From the opening chorus-oriented "Invert the Idols" to the more moderately paced "In the Trenches" to the absolutely magical opening riff on "Devout Atrocity" this is a fantastic journey. And as always, there is that insistent sense of melody that forces the listener to pay attention and get their head moving. Probably the best way to describe the combination is to say it is death metal (blistering drum patterns rife with rolling double bass kicks, powerfully down-tuned guitars with riffs designed to steamroll the listener, and violent, guttural vocal roars) with a sense of rock melody and timing (it slows down in parts and really accents the sheer BANG-YOUR-FUCKING-HEAD-NOW urgency of the music). This is an album that revels in its ability to crush the listener with unrestrained ferocity and resuscitate them with the gripping melody and rhythm of the next section of the song.

My only complaints at all involve the last bonus track on the deluxe version, "Dead Whores Love To Fuck." While this is somewhat humorous, the song is only 50 seconds long and doesn't add anything to the album. The expanded artwork and the cool sticker offset it though.

In conclusion, this album is a finely tuned rhythmic vessel of death metal destruction. There isn't a bad song, there is no filler, there is nothing that detracts from the album from beginning to the conclusion of the 38 minute running time. Dying Fetus has really outdone itself this time, and this album should be in the library of any death metal fan, and anyone who likes their previous work. A must buy, a great album from Relapse, and one of the highlights of a stellar 2012 musical season. Get it!

I’ve always thought of Dying Fetus as a good median in the contrasting, pulling streams of death metal. They seem on the surface to be firmly planted in the hurried, belligerent notation of tech death, and indeed, their music is often a jaw-dropping morass of combined ability, but they also stay true to the inherent precepts of death metal like few of their flippant brethren can. This manifests in the form of some legitimately dark riffing, and their showboating never goes so far overboard (heh) as to betray the primal simplicity of their consistent adherence to a naturally flowing tempo. Or, to put it simply, you can fucking headbang to it! Yes, you can have just as much fun rhythmically slamming your way through the pit as you can sitting in awe of each band member’s boundless, flabbergasting skill, and each seems to present just as enticing a scenario.

Opener Invert The Idols trades off between bludgeoning, jock mosh grooves and frenetic, spindly fret work, while Subjected to a Beating flows in a lock-step rhythm that consistently fires off into radical flourishes, the ever-aggressive John Gallagher belching out his desire to end your pathetic existence amidst a storm of blast beats and sharp, sheering leads. It feels like folly to continue detailing every track, since they are all essentially full-bodied death metal armadas. The base rhythmic spines are punishing, chugging, groove-carving war machines that scar the compositional landscape, clearing the way for sprays of machine-gunning double-bass and the hurried, fibrous notation of the winding, blinding, wholly satisfying guitar leads. Bassist Sean Beasley continues to mesh terrifically with Gallagher’s militaristic riffing, and his growls prove ever the strong partner to John’s grinding, frog-like lows. Drummer Trey Williams remains in the fray, matching the brutish intensity at every turn with effortless, whirlwind fills and deceptively simple beats as the situation demands.

At whatever tempo, the riffs are always war-like, rolling across the land like mid-tempo tanks or flying like fighter jets, acrobatic, avian swirls of fret-work soaring high above the bulldozing low-end reverberations. Whatever it happening, though, Dying Fetus have the unending ability to headbang firmly in mind. No matter how outlandish the flourishes and spurts of technicality are, they still work within the basic, chugging foundation of strong mosh pit rhythmic patterns, a fine line that explains their popularity within so many distinct sects within the death metal clans of the world.

Though I’d count myself as a bit more than a casual fan of the band, Dying Fetus have never been one to cling indelibly in my memory banks for long periods of time, or beg for a huge number of repeated listens, but Reign Supreme has proved equally as interesting and volatile each time I give it a spin, and I can’t see it leaving my rotation for at least the remainder of this year. I wouldn’t call it a defining masterpiece, like Cattle Decapitation’s Monolith of Inhumanity, but it sits side by side with Aborted and Cannibal Corpse as one of the strongest semi-technical death metal records released this year, not to mention the best the band have done in over a decade.

Historically, 2000’s Destroy the Opposition has been my favorite release from these virulent Marylanders, the inherent memorability of its riffing outclassing anything the band has released since, though they’ve yet to disappoint either, beyond their first few muddy releases. I can say pretty definitively that it still takes the top spot, but Reign Supreme is nipping at its heals, determined to live up to its blunt moniker. It really is very close, like, the length of a stillborn’s nosehair close, and Reign Supreme earns its silver medal with distinction.

There have been a number of great death metal releases this year, from battle-scarred veterans and starry-eyed newcomers alike, and Reign Supreme stands as tall and confident as any of them, showing no signs of relenting, even after 20 years spent pulverizing the scene. Fans of anything and everything brutal, step right up, and prepare yourselves for a hardened, professional ass kicking.

-Left Hand of Dog
http://reaperdivision.blogspot.com/

“Reign Supreme” is an appropriate title for this seventh full length outing from US’s greatest exponents of the riff and groove trademark, commonly referred to as slamming death metal, and whilst the band did not start out to be used as the template for virtually every slam death outfit on the planet the consequences of their unique approach to song writing is plainly evident for all to hear. Slamming death metal is oft ridiculed by mainstream media and on the internet which is a shame as the sub-genre has many facets of brutal death metal I really do like, the barraging double kick, short stabbing riff assaults and gruesomely delivered vocals. Dying Fetus has also remained as \ trio since 2007 and the lack of a second guitarist has had little effect on the bands monolithic sound. Even in the live environment the sound generated is colossal and like other well known trios the emphasis on each instrument is amplified and attenuated to glorious bludgeoning delight.

Any long term fan of a band always has a degree of excitement and trepidation on the next full length, believe me I go through it at least twice a month. The questions of whether the band has diversified or stayed true to the roots, has the sound changed, will the album still be as catchy as the last, will the band branch out and make more experimental tunes, has the band wimped out at all, all valid questions by dedicated fans. So has anything changed in the Dying Fetus camp at all, not really, the production is a lot heavier and more rounded compared to “Descend Into Depravity”, and maybe the mix is a tad better, but overall it’s brutal business as usual for the Maryland monsters. “Invert The Idols” starts the album in not so sweet fashion, as the song harks back to the “Killing On Adrenaline” days of “Kill Your Mother, Rape Your Dog” stuff; short, savage and sadistically shoved into places you didn’t think it would fit and rammed home by the massive slam at the end. Great start.

“Subject To A Beating” uses the trademark catchy double kick beat and riff style the band is famous for and with the injections of snare blast the tune ticks every box in what I expect from Dying Fetus. I’d say the technical aspects of the album have been toned down a little which isn’t to say that John is slouching about here, no chance of that, the riff that bursts in about half way is beefed up by Trey Williams’ drum demolition, the man is a goddamn machine. The skin pounding continues into “Second Skin” which stands a personal favourite on the album, as the song possesses an enormous range of tangential riff changes and groove elements that drop back to a slower gigantic thud at the end; this song is beyond doubt a battering affair. The bands impending autumn tour of the UK is going under the banner of ‘The Womb To Waste Tour’, reference to the song “From Womb To Waste” and as with the vast majority of Dying Fetus songs there is a socio-political undertone to it all. The intro is harsh and makes you angry but is followed by a slow crunching riff that pauses then launches into blasts on the verse elements. The speed is absurdly fast at times, beggaring the question of how the fuck do they do that?

There have been some high class death metal albums out this year from Nile, Asphyx, Cannibal Corpse to name a few and with the competition being so fierce and cash in short supply the band has certainly upped the ante so to speak to deliver a set of scorching songs, none more so than “In The Trenches”, the riff is familiar like the one near the start of “Grotesque Impalement” coupled to it is the machine gunning double kick and alternating bouncy groove we all love from this band. Another immense tune is “Revisionist Past” with its guitar solo start, followed by the trademark riff and blast attack. The riff break is awesome plain and simple, one of the bands best and sure to be a brilliant live song. The album closes with a slower pulveriser called “The Blood Of Power” with a copious deluge of slam riffs, the drumming is godly, superbly brutal but technically adept. It is clear that Dying Fetus continues to write amazing brutal death metal albums that are uniquely catchy and “Reign Supreme” proudly states that fact with incomparable ease.

Originally written for www.rawnervezine.co.uk

There is something off-putting about the subtle intrigues of politics, nay, the way that people tend to deal with each other in every sense. When taken in the way most often presented in the various media outlets available, humanity comes off as little more than a massive mishmash of depravity, dishonesty, and vindictive apathy just begging for the grave worms to consume it whole. In this sense, death metal in general, but more specifically the multifaceted kind that deals with the physical horror of violence as well as the societal/intellectual roots that grow into it, could be seen as the bluntest form of reactionary art. Perhaps my greatest criticism of Dying Fetus (putting aside John Gallagher’s professed interest in rap music) is that they’ve been unable to properly unify their desire for nuanced lyrical subjects with their largely brutal and un-nuanced sound.

To be fair, this longtime Mid-Atlantic death metal outfit has had their fair share of hits when purveying their respective message of corrupt politicking and societal decay, but it wasn’t until this year’s “Reign Supreme” that they actually put together a whole package worthy of the wide praise heaped upon them. While the general sound heard on here isn’t too far removed from the band’s extensive back catalog, the right balance is struck between groove and chaotic speed, as well as simplicity and technical flair to create an enthralling 37 minute thrill ride through the seas of lies and deceit. At times, the guitar work gets fancy enough to rival some of the handiwork of Brain Drill and Arsis, but it never gets overplayed and usually manifests in a fleeting set of blinding sweep picking that works almost like connecting ligaments for a body largely made up of the same brutal riff work and crazed drumming that Suffocation has continually brought to the table.

It’s difficult to pick a favorite from the pack here, as everything exudes a sense of unrelenting rage tempered with the skillful precision of a veteran soldier. However, “Revisionist Past” slightly edges out of the rest of the pack in the distinctiveness department, playing up a strong set of neo-classically charged themes, high flying lead guitar sections, and dueling grunts and shouts between Gallagher and Beasley, all of which result in something that is heavily reminiscent of the early work of Fleshgod Apocalypse meshed with a strong hint of Cryptopsy based brutality. The lyrics also bring about a nice change of pace from the gore obsessed clichés of the style and present a compelling blend of skepticism and fatalism regarding history being a tool of subversion and forced societal conformity. Similar musical pictures are painted on “Dissidence” and “The Blood Of Power”, but with a slightly greater emphasis on the prevailing groove elements of Dying Fetus’ signature sound of albums past.

It might be somewhat presumptive to assert that this is Dying Fetus’ greatest album, but it is definitely the strongest and most inviting of their extensive body of work, largely because it simply ceases in trying to hit the listener with a message and actually does it. Perhaps in their own twisted way, this band has become their own little school for how to calibrate one’s bullshit meter regarding a number of things that most seem to hold as sacrosanct. But for anyone who just wants to hear a great death metal album in the mode of the mid 90s when the technically proficient traditional scene first began butting heads with the younger, more brutal offshoot, there’s no short supply of that going on here.

Dying Fetus needs no introduction. Chances are you, oh valued reader, have stumbled upon these revolutionary death metal maniacs during your many travels into the twisted realm of death metal. I really wasn't enthusiastic about John Gallagher and crew after feeling "War of Attrition" and "Descend into Depravity" were deficient of Dying Fetus' usual goodness and just directionless albums, proving nothing and contributing very little. However, I am very impressed with "Reign Supreme," probably because it feels like the mechanical kinks between the aforementioned releases are vastly improved, and pretty much every angle of the band's assault is sinisterly excellent. Hearing the technical storm of Gallagher's guitar work and Trey Williams' chaotic percussion leading into the malevolent "Invert the Idols" tastes like any Dying Fetus offering should: completely violent and beyond brutal.

With the friction between the amount of brutality always poured into Dying Fetus' work and the band's ability to remain individualistic, one could kindly assume little has changed between releases, but that doesn't matter, because "Reign Supreme" leaves much more of an impact than I could of expected. Sure, you get the trademark outputs of Dying Fetus-esque goodness: guttural belches, higher growls from Sean Beasley, unspeakable acts committed on a drumset, shearing grooves, bloodthirsty sections of sonic fire, and Gallagher's menacing riffs and usual guitar desecration. The difference, though, is that the whole musical package stays addictive and never loses its initial punch through all nine tracks. Hell, it even seems like Dying Fetus is challenging themselves to become a better battalion on every possible level.

A lot of folks seem to be talking about the taped snippet of a careless young women talking about her thrilling pregnancy at the start of "From Womb to Waste," but I'm more concerned with the collection of inspiring riffs it vehemently displays without apology; one of the fast breaks can snap fingers like twigs, no joke. The puissant rampage throughout "In the Trenches" reeks like a classic Dying Fetus tune, exploiting all the savage meat which made this band so great in the first place. As previously mentioned, the quick snap of technical madness on "Invert the Idols" sets the stage for the impending onslaught perfectly. These are the exceptional pieces, but it's all part of a bigger machine that Dying Fetus has mastered here, definitely worthy of its throne of bones and blood.

Hearing a record like "Reign Supreme" sounds like famine itself is shrouding the universe in destruction; it's completely frantic and a tornado of instrumentation lurks around every corner. Still, this is the work of just three dudes. Amazing how much audio doom can come from just a trio considering some groups use six members or more. John Gallagher and the Dying Fetuses are at the top of the death metal hill they helped create with the dazzling showmanship and life oozing out of "Reign Supreme," and it may not be ridiculous to call it one of the group's finest releases. Newcomers will enjoy, old fans will rejoice, and the weak will submit to its feral grip on throats everywhere.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com

For years Dying Fetus has always been at the top of the death metal pedestal for releases such as “Killing On Adrenaline“, “Destroy The Opposition“, and “Descend Into Depravity“. Each of those albums has a distinct progression in musical style, and once the band released ‘Subjected To A Beating’ to the public a while back I could easily tell that “Reign Supreme” was going to be very much in the same vein of “Descent Into Depravity“. The only issue I had with that revelation is I didn’t care for ‘Subjected To A Beating’ too much. There was just something about it that couldn’t draw me in, but I knew at the same time that basing an opinion off of one song was not a smart thing to do. So, I waited until Relapse Records provided me with a copy, and I feel that after the several rotations this disc has made, I can fairly give my opinion on the brand new Dying Fetus album, “Reign Supreme“.

John Gallagher and Co. have always been able to provide some seriously destructive music over the years, but even with the short-and-sweet beginning track of ‘Invert The Idols’ I could tell that I was in for something much more cataclysmic. The second track is the one I talked about not liking, ‘Subjected To A Beating’. Now, I’m not sure if it’s because I know the song has a full album behind it, but for some reason my opinion of ‘Subjected To A Beating’ did a complete 180 degree turn. It isn’t the greatest Dying Fetus song ever, but it was quite enjoyable over the five times I have listened to the album since. So far, so good.

The groove that Dying Fetus has been known for over the years is in quite an abundance on “Reign Supreme“. Every single song is packed full of it, and when you combine it with the John Gallagher’s tectonic growling, Sean Beasley’s pitbull barking, and Trey Williams’s stellar drumming then that is something you just cannot beat. Tracks such as ‘Second Skin’, ‘From Womb To Waste’, ‘In The Trenches’, and ‘Revisionist History’ (my personal favorite) are the four stars on “Reign Supreme“. The musicianship of all three men is perfect from beginning to end, but a real special mention has to go to Trey Williams. I still can’t believe he was languishing away as an unknown drummer in Maryland before Dying Fetus picked him up, because his performance on “Descend Into Depravity” floored me, but he has clearly outdone himself on “Reign Supreme“.

The production of this album is ridiculously good. There is no way you would be able to guess that only three people were involved with the instrumentation of it. The only problem I have with it is that while you can hear Sean’s bass during the higher tapping notes, he is buried underneath the rest of the onslaught that John and Trey put out.

This review is going to be pretty short, mainly because while every single song has its own identity, Dying Fetus is clearly enacting what I have for years been calling the Bolt Thrower Effect©. This means that if a band has found a working formula that is devastating in every sense of the word, then why not just keep doing what you’re doing? If you were a fan of Dying Fetus‘s last output, then there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t go out and grab “Reign Supreme“.

Originally written for Metal Blast: http://www.metalblast.net/2012/06/dying-fetus-reign-supreme/

I've been following Dying Fetus since I was lucky enough to hear about the band through word of mouth in 1997. Like most people, I am of the opinion that Dying Fetus peaked in 2000 with the release of Destroy the Opposition. I was disappointed with 2003's Stop At Nothing, but felt like the subsequent albums showed improvement. War of Attrition was a step in the right direction, and Descend Into Depravity was even better. Why do you need to know all of this? Because everyone seems to have drastically different opinions when it comes to the career arc of Dying Fetus, and this information will help give some context to my feelings about Dying Fetus' latest grooving slab of brutality, Reign Supreme.

In a nutshell, Reign Supreme is probably the most catchy and easily digestible Dying Fetus release to date. That's saying something since Dying Fetus songs have always been pretty memorable. New tracks like "Subjected to a Beating" and "From Womb to Waste" seem instantly familiar and are sure to incite some tumultuous mosh pit action. However, having songs with this level of catchiness is a double-edged sword. The tunes may be super-catchy, but some of the riffs are so simple that you may feel like your IQ temporarily drops a few points. There are some seriously knuckle-dragging grooves on this album. Luckily when these riffs crop up, it isn't too long before a more interesting part comes along and rescues the song from total blandness. Usually it's a more flashy section that saves the day. Reign Supreme is peppered with plenty of the trademark Dying Fetus sweep-picking licks. There's also weird technical riffing in "Devout Atrocity," sweet solos in "The Blood of Power," and an impressive use of melody in "Revisionist Past." Parts like these help off-set the weaker moments and actually strike a successful balance that satisfies.

Reign Supreme is a catchy enough album that it will probably draw more new fans to the Dying Fetus camp. While this catchiness can at times border on over-simplicity, there's still enough going on in these songs to satisfy most long-time Dying Fetus fans. If you enjoy Dying Fetus' more recent albums, it's unlikely you will disappointed. With Reign Supreme, Dying Fetus manages to successfully straddle the line between appeasing long-time fans and appealing to the energy drink tour crowd. Simply put, everyone wins.

Originally written for http://www.metalpsalter.com

We are almost reaching the end of the 2012's first semester and I dare to say that these first 6 months are better than the entire year of 2011 in terms of metal releases. I will not count or relate the releases of the current year nor the reviews I have been written in these first 5 months, this was just an intro for what is coming in the following text: Dying Fetus are back!

The album "Reign Supreme" marks the returning of the trio with such power and consistency that guarantee us, or at least me, the veteran bands still have a word to say in metal or even in other music genre. The current music level is so low and declining that when an old band releases an album the fans go insane.

"Reign Supreme" is a death metal supremacy, a musical reign to be conquered by force and dedication, a lesson to be taken by the youngsters. If some current extreme death metal bands are good, I guess many of them must give a «thank you» to acts like Dying Fetus.

Opening this album is the "Invert The Idols" track which vary between a maniac shredding guitar riff and a fine groovy movement touching the technical way - a Dying Fetus's trademark. The "Second Skin" track is one the most violent songs in the album and the shredding versus consistent guitar riffs continues along with the excellency of Trey Williams in the drum department.

We also have apocalyptic passages like in the "Dissidence" track. The "In The Trenches" track reminded me of the best Bolt Thrower's record "Those Once Loyal" because of musical tempo and because of the "simple" riff type - check it out when listening to the album and I hope you have the same opinion.

"Revisionist Past" is the best you can find in this "Reign Supreme" album and right here the band captured their melodic vein and achieved the most bombastic breaks between passages. From the insane beginning with a virtuous guitar intro to the almost orquestral break which puts you in a mosh-pit, from the mid-tempo surrounded by nice drumming work to the melodic soundscapes crushing into a furious changing which puts you back in the mosh-pit picture, I couldn't stop listen to it.

The beautiful consistency and persistency heard in this album is also due to the great production - the studio work is fabulous. A very tight job that was led in a meticulous way was done in "Reign Supreme" and the behind-the-scenes men also deserve an applause.

Reaching the end of "Reign Supreme" you will play it again and again for sure!
Dying Fetus are back!

Originally written for and posted at Riff Magazine