Album Review: Anthropophagus Depravity – Demonic Paradise
Reviewed by Daniel Phipps
Indonesia is a long standing hot bed of brutal death metal and has been for a long time. I think it's fair to say that at some point during a calendar year a band from the region is going to come and knock your socks off with some downright savage music. In 2021 I hoped it was Anthropophagus Depravity as they unleashed their debut full length Apocalypto. Unfortunately that was not the case, it was good but not great however were they just setting up for the follow up?
Demonic Paradise is the band's second full length, again coming through Comatose Music who know a little something about brutal death metal & this 10 track album showcases Indonesia's ability to create jaw dropping death metal. For a start the tempo and just sheer ferocious nature of this new record is something its predecessor cannot match in any form. Apocalypto was quite clunky at points where Demonic Paradise is very smooth and just overpowering in comparison.
The most noticeable change between the 2 records starts with the drums, they are a lot more noticeable and the straight up power especially within the kicks is really something that you pick upon early within the record. The riffs are also far sharper and the bands use of dark harmonies are far superior within Demonic Paradise and you can really hear how much progression the band have had with the song writing.
What Anthropophagus Depravity has produced is a relentless slab of brutal death metal which hits all the marks. It's a perfect blend of Disgorge and Suffocation in terms of sheer ferocity and power, yes it may not win any originality awards but in terms of the progress that the band has made Demonic Paradise is on a totally new level for Anthropophagus Depravity.
