So far, from out of Texas, we've had some heavy hitters in recent years such as core enthusiasts Kublai Khan and I AM in addition to modern death metal artists Scattered Remains. Likewise, one of these up-and-comers from Corpus Christi (formed earlier in the year) have just released their very first EP through Chugcore Records. Lacerate Thy Maker perform a somewhat technical subsect of the deathcore genre with some slight downtempo elements thrown in as well. And so with that being said, I'm here today to talk about the new EP and give them a warm welcome to the community.
Imminent is the aptly titled debut release from Lacerate Thy Maker. The mere 18 minutes and five tracks found on this EP are packed with some quality content that makes up for the quantity. Imminent was imminently released via the band itself as well as Chugcore Records on CD format in early June of 2018 and features the three-piece outfit in addition to production by Greg Hinck, who also recently worked with downtempo group Filth. The album artwork was done courtesy of Imperfect Design.
The EP opens up with some eerie piano music akin to a horror movie score and ambiance that leads into the band's entrance about a minute in. Suddenly, the guitar riffs come in consisting of distorted tremolos accompanied by double bass and blast beats. The chuggy chords in the forefront really make a solid first impression for what's to come. The vocals follow soon after, with a destructive mix of both highs and low gutturals. So far, so good...production quality is top notch for an entry level EP and the riffs don't stop anytime soon. The first slamming breakdown that comes in got me by surprise as there felt like there was no transition to it, which seems like a running theme here. Nonetheless, by the end of 'Malodorous', listeners are greeted by a symphonic piano score accompanied by more breakdowns. The first track is a good indicator of what's ahead, even if it does feel a bit unstructured at times.
The sophomore track titled 'Misanthropy' really piqued by interest, mostly in part to the hard-hitting slams mixed with almost Traitors-esque vocals. By the mid-point of it, the atmosphere really kicks in and gives off some decent melodies to counteract the brutal dissonance going on all over. Once again, the song finishes off with a slamming/chugging breakdown as a sort of "cherry on top".
'Wicked Fixation' is another track that starts off strong and fast, with the key deathcore elements scattered throughout. It felt as though the music got better as Imminent went along. And, by the end of the EP (which, by the way, is marked and topped off with the same piano score we've heard in the EP's start), I felt like I wanted to hear more. Without spoiling much more, I was really engaged by the final two tracks due to their technical guitar riffing as well as the acoustic segments of the final song 'Psychopathic Engorgement', which ended up being my second fave on Imminent closely behind 'Misanthropy', which was a shorter, but more memorable track, in my opinion.
All in all, I'd say it's a mixed bag...every song had something I enjoyed and a few of them had some things I wasn't too crazy about. For instance, while I overall liked the opening song, I also still felt it was a bit long and drawn out. Also, I wish there was a bit more structure towards the beginning of Imminent and there could've been some more melodic or atmospheric elements thrown in. Despite this, I really enjoyed all of the riffing, breakdowns, instrumentals, vocals and technical aspects at work.
In the case of Imminent, all of the good stuff outweighs the cons and there are quite a few elements to take a liking to. I still hope to hear more from Lacerate Thy Maker in the future, since I'm not entirely sure what to make of the EP. Like I said before, it's a mixed bag that, while relying on some oldschool deathcore tropes and traditions, puts some fluidity and technical brutality to the table, along with some surprising merit. I'd be interested to hear what Lacerate Thy Maker could pull off on a full length, since there is more that can be done with a band of this type of sound. And so I'll leave with that.
Fave Tracks: 'Misanthropy', 'Psychopathic Engorgement'
For Fans Of: A Night In Texas, Hollow Prophet, Within Destruction
**This release is available now here!**
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-Review by: Dave Raffy
Musician, reviewer, fan & promoter
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