Epi-Demic: Malformed Conscience

Landing in the lo-fi, high fun arena that the likes of Crumbsuckers, English Dogs or Wehrmacht have long resided, Canada's Epi-Demic return with a Malformed Conscience. To be fair to them, there's a little more going on than that, the balance between all out heaviness and good time grooves struck keenly and as often as not, at break neck speed. A metallically clanging snare crack suddenly jolts "Rotting In Plain Sight" into life, the buzzsaw riffage barely controlled by the drum torture. With "Dark Thoughts" able to vary tempos from all out assault to confident swagger-grooves, the scene is set, Epi-Demic finding more than one way to broil their geese.

The vocals are more shouted shards of abuse than uncontrolled shrieks and growls, while the scything guitars and slam-hard bass lines bury deep into their intended targets. With "Stewing In Misery" adding an almost classic Metallica smash and grab, before forming a Stormtroopers Of Death line of attack, and "Sons Of Dogs" knowing when to snap and snarl and when to put the posturing aside and simply go for the throat, there's a real poise and confidence behind this outfit's convincing blag and bluster.

Malformed Conscience is an album that knows exactly what it is, but which also has the ability to add an interesting collection of asides that make it much more than just the sum of its parts. Aggressive and uncompromising, the controlled outbursts that Epi-Demic create may hardly be ground breaking, but with a real sense of fun, an ability to bring the thunder and the skill to drive a cracking, breakneck riff home each and every time, crank that volume skywards and the earth below your feet may well begin to splinter.

Track Listing
1. Rotting In Plain Sight
2. Dark Thoughts
3. Stewing In Misery
4. Ruthless Ambition
5. Losing Time
6. Famine
7. Hatred
8. Sons Of Dogs
9. Breaking Your Mind
10. Punishment
11. Mortal Kind

Added: July 22nd 2017
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Epi-Demic on bandcamp
Hits: 1314
Language: english

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