Album Review: Metaphobic – Deranged Excruciations
Reviewed by Sam Jones
For a band that have only been together for a short time, Metaphobic have really managed to turn heads with this upcoming full length release. From varying social medias to Everlastjng Spew Records’ considerably faith in them, Metaphobic became an act I had to check out for myself to discern whether the hype regarding this album was legitimate or otherwise. Formed in 2018 from Georgia, United States, the band’s description of Morbid Angel meets Demilich instantly had me hooked, and whilst their earliest years weren’t too active, the early 2020s finally saw the band release their first Demo and, at December’s end, their first Single. With another Single out by mid-January, the wheels were quickly turning for their first album to be unleashed. Now set for a February 28th release date and already taken on by Everlasting Spew Records, it suggests a shining future for the band even at this early stage of their career. With such hype permeating this oncoming release I was more than ready to open up Deranged excruciations for myself.
Right out of the gate Metaphobic demonstrate the tight-knit strength their songwriting possesses, for though it’s clear they throw a lot at us it always feel concise and our attention is constantly targeted where the band’s efforts feel greatest. The overall soundscape these guys craft is enormous and whilst it is vast, their performance seemingly stretching beyond the walls of the record, it still manages to bolster this notion of an organised, tidied space. There is a lot going on but it the listening experience is remarkably easy since their performance feels to funnel down on a long albeit ordered corridor; Deranged Excruciations may be this demonic force but it’s striking us from one direction, we aren’t having to fight off multiple assailants at once. Take their guitar work and drumming for instance, very rarely throughout the album do they outright split off from each other. It means that for the majority of the runtime, the riffs and blast beats share a synergy with one another that drives not merely the momentum forth but the general impact their songwriting hits us with.
Vocally, it’s a perfect match with the instrumentation and atmosphere this record purports. Given the style of songwriting and tone their sound is vying for, the vocal delivery rounds out the record’s sound excellently. Had the vocals been any deeper then I don’t believe they would suit the performance we experience; they’re this guttural, super crushing sound that will have you fully buying into the power Metaphobic herein exert but the vocal tone isn’t so suffocating that you can’t interpret the overall track progression nor pick out particular sections of instrumentation you especially enjoyed. We’ve heard more guttural performances across death metal but Metaphobic’s works so well because there’s an additional coarse quality permeating the delivery; it’s not just a super low vocalisation but there’s just the slightest hint of a rougher texture, especially throughout the select times the vocals rise with intensity. The riffs complement the vocals and the vice versa is just as effective.
It goes without saying that Metaphobic are thoroughly at home with their considerable tempo, it’s what lends their performance the copious degrees of power. However there’s far more to Deranged Excruciations than blunt force impact alone; beneath the bellowing, cinderblock aesthetic of Metaphobic lies a cerebral, almost ethereal quality to their songwriting. I felt this aspect of their identity was more prevalent during their more nuanced, steadier moments; it’s certainly where that aforementioned Demilich influence comes into play for it heightens the band’s sound into something much more three-dimensional. The guitar work can warp itself into something more deranged, aiding the atmosphere to morph into something more askew, more otherworldly, without the band bringing additional atmospheric elements into play. These instances are few and aren’t overly populous across the record but they’re utterly integral in applying Metaphobic’s erratic, unique style of riff creation.
When it comes to the longer pieces, few in number yet no less important to the overall experience, the band assume a near Progressive approach to the record. They understand they can’t just assail you with a constant bombardment for nearly eight or ten minutes straight, thus they need to employ tactics and songwriting that gives them reasons for elongating g their track times. As a result the songwriting isn’t afraid to remain in a certain location, stewing amidst the chosen soundscape, before the band bring us back to the breakneck tempo and delivery we’ve become accustomed to thus far. With hindsight, these implemented techniques also serve to relax the pace of Metaphobic’s otherwise sickening onslaught, enabling us to breathe and also appreciate all the more the differing songwriting this record offers. The tempo may be slower in places but the band’s momentum rarely ceases as they carry us from one sequence to the next, rejuvenating our attention at every turn.
In conclusion, Metaphobic’s first full length work is a triumph, immediately separating them from the crowd as well as being a prominent, first release by the band that will assuredly pull people, such as myself, in to their fanbase. In a way I liked how contained their performance felt; though Deranged Exceuciations runs for eight tracks and gives us plenty to enjoy it still felt like Metaphobic were holding so much back. This may sound like a detriment but contrarily it works in their favour since we know future releases will continue to open up and broaden the horizons Metaphobic have begun showing here. It’s a record that doesn’t explore the fullest breadth of the band’s ability which leaves us exciting vistas to discover for the future and, given what’s within this record, there is more than enough reason to return to this record. Metaphobic have their clear influences but it’s never an issue, never a crutch, for they’re more than capable of standing on their own merit. This was a deeply entertaining and heavy experience and I’m glad to have checked this out. Everlasting Spew Records are plenty justified in promoting this release.
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