Tag Archives: Annihilated

Abysmal Dawn – Obsolescence

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Whisper it softly around these parts so as not inflate the head of one of our sterling writers, Richie HR, but he is right. In his recent review of Annihilated’s XIII Steps To Ruination (Unique Leader) here he commented about how “Average is the new bad, and it’s far, far worse than rubbish ever was”, casting light on the fact that we are inundated with decent, OK, average, not bad, it’s alright metal (especially Death Metal) these days. Passing muster isn’t the same as it was, and if you were ranking on a Bell Curve (curb your tittering at the back), what would have passed for decent would now be at the bottom, as the overall level has come up.

There are also way more Death Metal bands per head of metal fan than any other genre, and far too many average, going nowhere bands. Labels used to be a filter for this sort of stuff, but it now seems even those labels that should know better have gotten into the conveyor belt mentality of it all (and Relapse really should know better, having gestated some of the cream of the DM crop). We have a sea of the unimaginatively named Wretched, Annihilated et al producing the unimaginative; the differences between them each are minimal, very few of them have any identity or any chance of releasing anything essential. Good Death Metal is great, and there still is good new Death Metal out there. Average Death Metal is mediocre and uninspiring.

So, it’ll probably come as no surprise to hear, Abysmal Dawn, Obsolescence (Relapse), sound a lot like a lot of other bands. It’s a bit technical, predominantly chuggy, Death Metal, with vocals more bark than growl. It’s inoffensive (which is another problem… ) and has good cover art. Their version of Dissection’s ‘Night’s Blood’ is several shades shitter than the original (aren’t they always). They aren’t as good as, let alone better than, the bands they were influenced by, which probably includes Malevolent Creation, Pestilence and The Black Dahlia Murder.

Other than that, it’s not shit. It’s not brilliant, either. It’s dictionary definition meat and potatoes meh Death Metal. And one thing Death Metal should never be is staid enough to be ‘meh’.

5.0/10

Abysmal Dawn on Facebook

STEVE TOVEY


Annihilated – XIII Steps To Ruination

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There aren’t enough rubbish bands these days.

Perhaps it’s the higher quality of home-recording techniques, the greater amount of competition or simply a product of my perception, but there seem to be fewer genuinely terrible bands and albums available now than there were ten or fifteen years ago. This seems like an odd thing to complain about, until you realise that fewer rubbish bands doesn’t mean more good ones, it means more mediocre ones. Average is the new bad, and it’s far, far worse than rubbish ever was.

Annihilated play the kind of groove-driven “brutal” Death Metal that was popular in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, and you can’t point to anything specifically bad about it. The playing is competent, song-writing is effective if unspectacular and the production is as crunchy as one would expect. The band has a decent enough sense of rhythm, with guttural vocals and effectively deployed samples and… you get the idea. Annihilated are the kind of band who seem to be happy making up the numbers, adding one to the tally of identical Death Metal bands that have nothing particular to offer.

Bottom line, there is nothing about this album that hasn’t been done better before over a decade ago. If it were genuinely bad there’d at least be some pleasure to be had in pointing that out, but even that isn’t an option. I can’t in good conscience attack XIII Steps To Ruination (Unique Leader), but nor can I recommend it to anyone who knows the first thing about this style

4.5/10

Annihilated on Facebook

RICHIE HR


New Music Premiere – Annihilated: Global Enslavement

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Los Angeles Death Metal emissaries Annihilated are preparing to drop their brutal début manifesto, XIII Steps To Ruination from Unique Leader Records on October 28th (next Tuesday). Featuring former members of Abysmal Dawn, Grotesque, Excretion, and Arkaik the band may be new, but has the pedigree of hardened musical killers. Ghost Cult is proud to partner with Earsplit PR to bring you this great new band!

Listen to ‘Global Enslavement’ now!

Official Press Release:

California-based extreme death metal perpetrators, Annihilated — who features within its ranks, current and former members of Abysmal Dawn, Grotesque, Excretion, and Arkaik — will spread their sonic sickness across the lands this Fall with the release of debut full-length, XIII Steps To Ruination.

Set for official unleashing via brutality powerhouse, Unique Leader Records, later this Fall, Annihilated’s XIII Steps To Ruination was produced by drummer Scott Fuller (Abysmal Dawn) and boasts eleven pounding, methodically-crafted tales of torment bedecked in hailstorm riff sequences, homicidal blasts, maniacal vocal onslaughts, and strategically composed percussive syncopation all fueled, conceptually, by political/corporate disgust and societal revulsion. As an added bonus, XIII Steps To Ruination features guest appearances by Sven De Caluwe (Aborted), Monte Pittman (Prong), Peter Truax (Vesterian, Eyes Of Fire) and Eric Stobel (Plaguereaper, P.O.R.).

Comments Fuller of Annihilated’s union with Unique Leader: “We are psyched to be a part of the Unique Leader family. With such a notable roster of brutal death metal bands and awesome releases, we feel right at home.”

XIII Steps To Ruination Track Listing:
1. Global Enslavement
2. Eyes In The Sky
3. This Fear I Speak Of
4. XIII Steps To Ruination
5. Eradication Profits
6. Divide Distract Deceive
7. For The Ignorant
8. Wastelands
9. Creations Of Man
10. Throne Of Eternity
11. Putrifacation

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Annihilated was forged in 2008 by guitarists Eric Matranga and Robert Fimbres shortly following the demise of Los Angeles’ Excretion. Intent on composing music with a purpose, Annihilated stands resolutely against the prevalent “sheep mentality” of society in favor of rational thought, questioning the motives of government and news media outlets though debilitating auditory domination.

XIII Steps To Ruination will see release via Unique Leader Records on October 28th, 2014 North America, October 31st,2014 in Europe and November 3rd, 2014 in the UK. Preorder your copy today at THIS LOCATION.

https://www.facebook.com/Annihilatetheworld
http://www.uniqueleader.com
http://www.facebook.com/UniqueLeaderRecords