World of Lies "s/t" CD
[self-released]
First things first, this disc is way too fucking long. 15 tracks and 41 minutes of death/grind? That's a no-no. Keep it short but sweet at around 30 minutes or so and don't overstay your welcome, know what I mean? That being said, despite some prominent flaws, these guys have some damn fine promise as writers, because there's definitely a lot of energy and variation here, and I really dig the speedy and frantic vocal arrangements a lot (even though the sneering screams could use some work). Expect a large dose of speed with generally tasteful tremolo picking and blasting drums, interspersed and beefed up with a handful of totally killer classic styled thrash rhythms on occasion, which definitely hooks me in. The thrash influences and the raging vocal patterns really make a few of the songs borderline catchy (see "We Are as Sheep"), whereas a few of the grindier cuts have a "Symphonies of Sickness" vibe happening, and I can't complain about that. And I have to give these dudes credit for mastering the use of speed, because a song like "Dismemberment" is chock full of blistering tempos contrasted by a major breakdown, both of which complement each other perfectly and make for a highly effective three-minute song. "The Gift" even opens with acoustic guitars and a melodic electric lead, while "Gardens of the Dead" reminds me of a slightly more rocked out Impaled with a touch more dissonance. Only rarely does the playing herein lean towards the sloppy side, so I'm not concerned there - they can get that in order without much effort. So, my chief problem? Yeah, the production. I can't help it. I'll give them this: They're on the right track. The problem is that the mix is unbalanced and noisy, and that hurts. The vocals are too loud as it is, so when they're layered it's entirely overpowering, and the cymbals fall either dead even or even louder than the vocals, which is an immense distraction. The guitar tone seems to be pretty damn strong, but I can't make out much bass, and things are so clouded with less-than-proper drum tones and vocals that it's hard to get a clear gauge on the guitar sound as well. Honing the mix and cleaning up some of the textures would make a massive difference in how this material comes across. The layout's not that great, it could be worse, it gets the job done, but it's a little plain, and at times crude. The band photos and collage, for example, just aren't that hot, and some of the lettering on the cover is illegible and unnecessary. The artwork also looks a little goofier than the lyrics, which are actually refreshingly serious for their blunt messages, dealing with everything from drug abuse and fear as tool of manipulation, to greed and corruption or a generally bleak view of the world's future. The lyrics definitely have something to say, and that's cool, I'm into that. A label really needs to give these guys a shot here. There are definitely some crude edges hovering about this that leave a mark, but you can't deny their songwriting talents. It's extremely hard to write a catchy, memorable track within the death/grind realm, and these cats have dropped a handful of winners on their debut self-released full-length, so it'd be a shame if they didn't get the chance to explore their talents with a more effective budget. Keep an eye on these guys. I'm not blown away, but I am impressed, and I can state with 100% certainty that this band has the potential to fucking crush. They could absolutely blow me the fuck away next time around. Here's to hoping... (6/10)
Running time - 41:31, Tracks: 15
[Notable tracks: We Are as Sheep, Sedate to Escape, Gardens of the Dead, the Process of Rotting]
World of Lies - http://www.worldoflies.com

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