Internal Bleeding: Imperium

In American death metal circles, there are few bands as true to the form as Internal Bleeding. Heavy on the touring but somewhat light on the album count, 2014 brings us Imperium, the sixth album from these self-described purveyors of 'total fucking slam.' In existence since 1991, the lineup features vocals from Keith DeVito (ex-Pyrexia, fill-in for Obituary and Suffocation), guitarist Brian Hobbie, bassist Jay Liff, drummer extraordinaire Bill Tolley, and of course founding guitarist Chris Pervelis.

The mix of hardcore influences and slamming, relentless riffery is what makes Internal Bleeding the no-let-up monster it is. Each member of the troupe is an extremely talented individual, each of whom derived their inspiration from many different genres. When focused on their own innovative brand of death metal, the results are always technically superior. If such whirlwind, breakdown laden hyper blast is your bag, Internal Bleeding offer it up in spades on Imperium. The songs don't particularly stand out from one another, with the exception of the brilliant 'Pageantry of Savagery.' The riffs, jaw-on-the-floor drumming from Tolley, and the wicked neck-snapping timing changes is the ultimate this genre can offer, and a true album highlight. The breakdown mid-song will surely create some mosh-pit casualties. 'Patterns of Force III (The Aftermath)' is another bone shattering example of tension played out perfectly in riffs.

Although the music on Imperium features numerous unique and highly evolved nuances, this style can over the course of an entire album come off as a little bit repetitive, owing itself more to a 'style over song' methodology that, while paying heed to the genre, fails to sort itself out into discernable, individual songs. Nonetheless Internal Bleeding has proven time and again that they are masters of this choppy style of technical death metal. If such is your preference, Imperium should stand comfortably by its predecessors.

Track Listing
1. Fabricating Bliss
2. The Visitant
3. The Pageantry Of Savagery
4. Patterns Of Force I. The Discovery
5. Patterns Of Force II. Plague Agenda
6. Patterns Of Force III. Aftermath
7. Placate The Ancients
8. In The Absence of Soul
9. Castigo Corpus Meum

Added: October 9th 2014
Reviewer: Nicholas Franco
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2339
Language: english

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