Maxmillion "s/t" CD
[Retribute]
Hailing from California, this trio (featuring members of 16) drops some unusual rhythmic sludge meets metalcore action with some sick vocal screams alongside burly detuned riffing that generally flows along at a slow to moderate pace. There are also some unexpectedly experimental guitar textures that come into play throughout, adding a bit more atmosphere to the groove laden riffing that dominates the disc. "Pure Black" is even based around slick clean guitars and spoken/sung vocals - a stark contrast to most of the other material. "Designed by the Vultures" adds to the general formula some slight melody and a few passages that are more dissonant and even heavier than most of the other tracks, which definitely makes a strong impression. Most of the songs do tend to sound similar to one another, though. It's not too bothersome since the disc is relatively short, but I would like to hear them explore the direction of "Pure Black" a bit more, because I really think it would add a lot to their overall approach. I like the sound they've got going on here. I do think that the drumming should be a bit louder, though. The drums sound really good, and I can tell that the percussion is a bit more forceful than the volume is dictating, so if the guitars/bass weren't so seamlessly locked out in front and the percussion had more room to breathe I think the overall effect would be beneficial. The layout is all in black and white with some metallic silver ink printed on a matte booklet. It's simple but it looks pretty nice, thanks in part to a crisp, precise logo that contains a pentagram, two sickles, and a sword. There are also some diagrams of a skull and a spine, but the rest of the layout is either black space or faded blurs. Only one set of cryptic lyrics is included for some reason: "My selfish vision, I've seen what shaped it, My television, Nothing escapes it, Did you make any progress? Did you make an excuse? My selfish vision, I've seen what shapes it, My television, Tender escapist..." I'm not really sure what to make of that, but I do think that this is a promising release from a band that I doubt has reached their pinnacle just yet. (6/10)
Running time - 29:14, Tracks: 8
[Notable tracks: The Angel That Fell Through Earth, Pure Black, Designed by the Vultures]
Retribute Records - http://www.retributerecords.com

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