Anthropic means “relating to human beings or their existence.” Principle means “law.” The Anthropic Principle is the Law of Human Existence. It is well known that our existence in this universe depends on numerous cosmological constants and parameters whose numerical values must fall within a very narrow range of values. If even a single variable were off, even slightly, we would not exist.
South Africa's brutal death metal band The Overmind are back. After sharing an EP in 2015, they have rallied this year for their debut LP, The Anthropic Principal. Featuring guest appearances from members of Within Destruction, Gravemind, and I Shall Devour, this album is not only crushing, but a huge step forward for the band.
While their early material felt pretty firmly grounded in the pure brutality of bands like Cannibal Corpse, this release sees the band open up their sound into broader dynamics. The Antrhopic Principal feels more akin in this way to groups like The Black Dahlia Murder and The Hudson Horror. In addition to the deep grunts that dominated the EP, there are an increased number of high pitched shrieks not unlike those of Cattle Decapitation that help to keep tracks a bit more interesting. The guitar riffs also seem to have crossed over further into blackened territory as well as incorporating some melodeath sounding riffs.
All of ths adds up to an extreme headbanging experience. While I tend to favor a more organic drum sound, these more digital-sounding beats are no less technical and gel extremely well with the also digital-sounding distortion. The union of all of these elements in general works out great, and whether they are playing a more Morbid Angelish track like "Abnegation" or Dahlia-esque one like "Macrocosm Architects," they play as a strong unit. All 8 of these songs are efficient blasts of gunpowder to the face that will leave you wanting more.
Another one for all of you death metal fans out there in 2016. I am very impressed with the direction that The Overmind are moving (quickly at that), and I cannot wait to see where they find themselves in just a few years. Personally, I foresee tours with larger bands like the ones I just named, attention from labels, and maybe more opportunities to play larger venues across the globe. The Anthropic Principle is fun, technical, and even innovative in terms of the band's growth. Fits my criteria. Check them out for yourself.