The fresh-faced group, GatekrGatecreepereeper has been making waves in the scene for the last couple of years. Their undaunted aggression and sinister viciousness made a mark when they released their first full-length album, Sonoran Depravation (Relapse Records) in 2016. They have a thought-provoking take on the classic Death Metal sound which sets them apart from a lot of other young, hungry acts. Now, this budding band is back with their sophomore record, Deserted (Relapse Records) and their magnetic extremes have reached a new level of exceptional.

The opening track, which is also the title track, ‘Deserted’ immediately slaps the senses with some raunchy riffs creating an ominous and alluring atmosphere. The guitars of Eric Wagner and Nate Garrett roar with severity and dimension. Their work has a playful prominence throughout the record which really highlights the band’s harsh and tortuous tones. The song ‘Puncture Wounds’ pricks the listener with an intensity and hardheartedness that lets you get lost in the band’s chaos. The howls and growls on each track partner well with the defiling distortion coming from the rest of the group creating a sense of unity amongst the fury.

Though this band hails from Arizona, you can feel a mossy mess and dirty depth in their sound as if they resurrected the old Floridian Death Metal greats. You can hear classic Obituary in the band’s cold, articulated brutality. The thick and saturated sounds of devastation draws from other legends like Crowbar and even Black Sabbath. The shrieks and gutturals from Chase Mason on ‘Everlasting’ makes the middle track a highlight on the record.

Near the end of the album, the listener is hit with, ‘Boiled Over’ which is similar to the earlier track, ‘From The Ashes’ for its headbang worthy qualities. The groove and pace of this release is seamless making it a living, breathing thing that moves and feels. There’s an uninhibited appeal to their dark and gloomy themes that they present so vehemently. Each song carries a weight and its own contemporary twist. Some modern melodies seep into their structure giving strength and incitement to each piece. With innovative bands like Gatecreeper the future of modern Death Metal looks promising.

7 / 10

RAGIN ROSIE