Album Review: Devine Defilement - Ruthless
Reviewed by Daniel Phipps
Reykjavik, Iceland has seen its death metal scene absolutely explode in recent years partly due to its annual Reykjavik Death Fest which is held in October and partly to the country's selection of excellent talent. The band who over the last twelve months has taken a stranglehold is Devine Defilement. Forming nine years ago the bands early output led to last year's Age of Atrocities which the band used to play extensively in Europe and just twelve months later the band are returning with Ruthless a new twelve track output.
Ruthless in both name and nature, Devine Defilement certainly have wasted no time putting together this big and fierce sounding death metal record which pulls no punches in its attack and execution. This is a modern sounding record which is full of solid compositions, a great selection of riffs in which the band blend technical techniques, face melting shredding and brain dead slam sections. Another really solid part of Ruthless is the track placement has a really superb flow and every track works giving the record the feeling of a solid piece of material which can sometimes feel lost as music feels as if the playlist is becoming king over the full length.
Devine Defilement utilises the dual vocalists property with both members offering a different style which is swiftly interchangeable between the two of them. Stefán Friðriksson who is the only member from the band's initial inception in 2016 is an absolute monster behind the kit on this release as he delivers pure power in his performance. Another really well thought out is the backing atmosphere of the record. It doesn't happen often but the band have ensured there are sections of real dense wall of sound especially found during the penultimate track Beyond the Veil of Death.
Ruthless is an extremely well crafted record. It's creativity is it's big plus for me, it takes cues from all elements of the death metal scene and then it gets the Devine Defilement treatment. It's modern death metal which does not sound overworked and over produced which is extremely welcomed as far as I am concerned.
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