Artist: Origin
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: 3/15/05
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Title: Echoes of Decimation Artist: Origin Label: Relapse Records Release Date: 3/15/05 |
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Abyss's Review:
Origin have been away for awhile working on very little new material. No kidding, this album ends almost as soon as it begins! It clocks in under a half an hour, but probably has more notes than your average progressive double concept album. This band plays technical death metal that has two speeds, fast and faster. And while I really enjoyed the visceral Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas, I must say this new record has me pretty bored.
"One word review: Generic." The main difference is that the songwriting is much more repetitious on this new release, as it seems every song consists of brutal chugging separated by brief, high-pitched leads. That's not to say their earlier material was any more intricate, but the songs themselves had a bit more character.
Still, you gotta love the full-blown chaos a little bit. There's something to be said for being this balls-to-the-wall brutal. But while a song like "Endless Cure" highlights the best parts to this band (breakneck speed, thick chugging riffs, and acidic dueling vocals), it's the only real standout track on the album. The rest of the album is just a blur and not very memorable. One word review: Generic.
Death's Review:
For those who don't already know, Kansas' Origin play modern American brutal death metal in its most extreme formulation. Fans of Nile, Cryptopsy, Vader, Athiest, Suffocation, Incantation and Hate Eternal should be interested. The key is speed and aggression, with uncompromising drumming and brutal vocals as the band's most standout elements. The speed necessitates a serious level of technicality - Origin are no doubt all killer death metal musicians, and the tracks on Echoes of Decimation prove no exception. Personally, I find this approach to be better in the live setting - the album comes across as a bit straightforward and uniform sounding for my tastes. I liked the last album better I think. But that's not to say that this isn't highly competent and integrity-filled brutal death metal - it is. I'm rooting for Origin and am psyched to rock out to them when I see them live, but this album has not captured my attention enough to warrant repeat spins when there is so much other metal to be listening to out there right now. If you want all of the most current and interesting brutal death metal, then by all means scoop this up. If, however, you have limited funds and are only able to pick up one or two albums per month, just catch the band's live show instead.
" The key is speed and aggression, with uncompromising drumming and brutal vocals as the band's most standout elements."
Hel's Review:
With Echoes of Decimation, Origin return to demonstrate the brutality American death metal can achieve. The third effort for Relapse finds them doing much the same as before. Again, they choose to deliver only a brief assault, clocking in at under 30 minutes for the third time in a row. This is what frustrates me most about Origin – they do not give me enough time to become properly embroiled in their chaos. At the moment when I am becoming completely enthralled, the record abruptly ends.
"Origin remain a contender for the brutal death crown." Everything else about the album is wonderfully unpleasant – the relentless drumming, the blistering guitar runs, the vicious vocals – it is all perfectly in place for a massive attack. But the brevity of the record creates a feeling as if the charge had dwindled halfway up the hill. Yet I have found what they have granted up to be intense and compelling.
I have blamed the nagging feeling that the album is flawed on the short running time. I hope the next time around they provide us with a few more minutes of music, and that this will set my disquiet to rest. However, the material on this album is not restful at all, and this is as it should be. Origin remain a contender for the brutal death crown. Hopefully their next effort will bring them even closer to capturing it. In the meanwhile, I hope to see them live soon, as I have not had that pleasure in quite some time.
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