“Just give in, you’re already dead”.
Death metal, like all modern musical genres, has undergone various stages of evolution since its birth in the 80s. While a sizable portion of modern bands still follow the basic principles of writing blood-soaked, curdling heavy music with an emphasis on balancing groove with sparse moments of technicality, it’s undeniable that, despite the subgenre’s willingness to innovate, it’s also lost some of its edge, so to speak. Of course, bands such as Obituary and Cannibal Corpse have remained faithful to the roots of their craft throughout the entirety of their respective careers and have garnered far-reaching fame and respect for it all the same, but an old school resurgence has yet to begin in earnest, as it seemingly has for more contemporary metal subgenres such as metalcore and deathcore. That said, it might not be far off, as a wave of smaller groups, primarily sheltered within the deep south of America, has begun to emerge, just itching to break out into the open and make their mark.
Enter Left to Rot, a Texas trio whose seismic waves were first felt across the scene a couple of years back with a series of demos, singles and a debut EP. After taking some time to reflect and refine, we now have Breath of the Tomb, their sophomore EP, and while this five track affair certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it manages to impress all the same. Following an appropriate, if a bit cheesy, introductory track, the title track fully shifts things into gear. With a set of infectious riffs and brutal chugs, this mid-tempo monster doesn’t pull any punches. Pummeling drums and a Cannibal Corpse-esque bass tone provide a sonically rich and rumbling backbone that remains consistent throughout the full release. “The Hidden One” is easily the most varied cut on the EP, with a wide array of vocal styles ranging from the mid-growl that’s present on every track to a borderline slam-core guttural that decorates the track’s disgusting initial breakdown.
Breath of the Tomb’s production is worth touching on briefly, mainly due to how impressed I am with its mix. Everything is remarkably well-balanced and audible; the entire drum kit manages to cut through and the aforementioned bass is consistently gritty. The complimentary guitar is punchy and serves as a reminder of the roots of death metal, with a tone not unlike some of what the 90s and early 2000s produced with bands such as Cryptopsy and Dying Fetus.
Previously explored ragers “Come to Me” and “Already Dead” comprise the EP’s second half. The former is a stompy yet surprisingly catchy track that probably remains my favorite even after hearing the full release. This track is absolutely steeped in old death metal nostalgia, especially with its tremolo picking section that occurs around the three minute mark that I found myself an absolute sucker for. The latter track “Already Dead” completely juxtaposes this with what is probably the most aggressive cut on the EP. If I didn’t know any better, I would guess Left to Rot draws inspiration not only from the pioneers of their respective genre, but also from grindcore and punk music as well, as a lot of the instrumentation here speaks to that particular corner of heavy music. The shrieking solo and the galloping drums are especially effective at establishing the intent of closing out this already fruitful EP with a bang.
While certain sections of the EP may come off as redundant or forgettable in the grand scheme of things, it is still the opposite as a collective. On the band’s next release, I’d like to hear a little more in the way of interesting guitar work, particularly during the slower and more mid-tempo moments, and maybe a little more refinement in the vocal department, too. With all of that said, Breath of the Tomb is a more than satisfactory follow up to the band’s previous work, and remains largely an upgrade to their already rock solid foundation.
8/10
Breath of the Tomb is out October 6th and can be pre-ordered here.