Metal Bulletin Zine: "military death metal" and classic-style dm: Humiliation (Malaysia), Obscure Infinity (Germany), Warmaster (Holland)

Sunday, April 20, 2014

"military death metal" and classic-style dm: Humiliation (Malaysia), Obscure Infinity (Germany), Warmaster (Holland)

Humiliation/Obscure Infinity (split) (Brutal Art Records)

Humiliation/Warmaster (split) (Dead Beat Media)

Here are three bands devoted to golden-age-style death metal. (Malaysia) Humiliation’s “military death metal” focuses on history/war-themed classic-dm-influenced heaviness and groove. Listeners will detect shades of Bolt Thrower, and perhaps Obituary and Death, too, as in their most recent full-length album “Turbulence from the Deep,” which I recommend for total Bolt Thrower/midpaced/golden-era dm fanatics. The veterans guarantee “old school dm” with these two splits, one with Obscure Infinity (Germany) and another one with Warmaster (Holland).

Humiliation

For their part, Obscure Infinity’s two songs highlight a death metal that probably sounds closer to the very direct dm style of Deicide, it seems to me. Upfront lyrics and attitude, OI shows a dm heart for the classics. Blasting sometimes, aggressively fast always, OI is primal dm.

Obscure Infinity

Warmaster’s two tracks of no-nonsense dm go for low vocals, but with some higher-pitched parts. The drumming is of the hard-hitting type that anchors the songs rather well, and invites the listener to headbang, mosh or move; a very good characteristic, of course. Simple, direct, effective dm, that’s Warmaster.