“There is nothing real outside our perception of reality, is there?”
Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Severed Head, and Bludgeoned by Deformity; Maryland knows a thing or two about death metal of the uncompromising sort. Unsurprisingly, Baltimore-based outfit Blood Vial permeates every meshed ounce of the former slew of acts, with their own spin of technical set pieces. Beyond Recognition is razor sharp in both execution and structure, setting an ironclad foundation for a ravenous newcomer in the brutal death metal space.
Riff machine enthusiasts will find that Christmas came a week early, as Beyond Recognition delivers unwavering volleys of string work front to back. John Gallagher has either been cloned or borrowed for Blood Vial’s debut showcase; Beyond Recognition is essentially a modern-day Grotesque Impalement with a contemporary coat of production that still gives it classic rawness. Many would be loath to admit that a fair bit of death metal occasionally sounds too perfect from a mixing standpoint, and that’s where Beyond Recognition instead opts to tip its hat to 90s audibility.
Yes, the saucepan snare is alive and well here, too. From a drumming perspective, Beyond Recognition is also very Dying Fetus-like with respect to brutal precision. Supplemental fills refuse to let up even when Blood Vial dials back with mid-tempo chugging. In every sense of the phrase, this truly is some old school shit. With perpetual talk of the revival scene, perhaps Blood Vial has, inadvertently or otherwise, set the pretense for death metal’s entry into that realm.
One would also be remiss to not point out the disgustingly tasteful vocals on Beyond Recognition. Cookie monster gutturals are, in fact, what the people want concerning this brand of brutal death, and Blood Vial happily provides. Whilst still erring on the side of Fetus-like elements, Beyond Recognition is chock full of growls that would make Molesting the Decapitated-era Devourment blush.
If Beyond Recognition is to have any potential flaw, it could very well be its somewhat short runtime. With six solid nods to rudimentary brutal death metal, most may be foaming at the mouth for six more by this EP’s conclusion. A minuscule critique for the best reason possible, Blood Vial may have ended things a bit too early here. Nonetheless, a lessened length offers maximal replay value, and there’s little doubt sympathizers of traditional essentials will have Beyond Recognition on repeat for the foreseeable future.
Beyond Recognition is an embryonic death metal exhibition that just happened to release long after the genre’s creation. Every riff, gurgle, and blast beat is drenched in the influential aspects of death metal’s beginnings. Call it whatever it is or may be, but through our lens, Beyond Recognition is the best EP Dying Fetus never made, with Blood Vial poised to unleash unfathomable hell if they keep this up.
9/10
Beyond Recognition releases on December 19 via Iron Fortress Records and can be pre-ordered here.