Album Review: E.N.D. - A Grave Deceit
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Formed in 1996, E.N.D, (Evil Never Dies) hail from the city of Zadar in Croatia. One of the oldest bands in the country, the trio play a massively heavy style of metal that includes down-tuned chugging, complex grooves, and huge riffs. Think Meshuggah mixed with Sepultura as a starting point.
This five-track E.P. sees the band follow up on their previous three full length releases, the last being ‘Demonic8’ which was released in 2015. ‘A Grave Deceit’ opens at full power with ‘Blinded by Avarice’, a raging riff that quickly segues into a staccato chopped movement, the unorthodox time signatures quickly established as part of the band’s sound. E.N.D. play a ferocious mix of thrash, death and punk which combined brings a really blistering assault. The searingly raw vocals of Alen ‘Alekke’ Babin who also manages to play guitar echoes those of Max Cavalera and hundreds of others, but that’s not bad thing as it fits the sound the band deliver well.
Although E.N.D. have a distinctive sound, they mix it up a little with each of the tracks bringing something a little different. ‘Shattered’ is propelled by the huge bass sound of Ivan Car, which is where the comparisons with the likes of Meshuggah are clear. ‘Host to Hostile’ is more straightforward thrashing, but with lacerating guitar bursts and the same driving bass, all the time underpinned by the relentless drumming of Davor ‘Didin’ Babin. ‘Unvigorous’ (is that even a word?) continues the driving aggression whilst the EP ends with a slower chugging track in ‘Spontaneous Human Corruption’.
There is plenty to enjoy on this E.P. From the huge stomping time signatures to the snarled, spat out vocals and the razor-sharp riffing, it’s all solid and powerful stuff.
