Kalopsia: Angelplague

Do you want some death metal? No, do you really want some death metal. Not some doom, stoner black metal, I mean do you want some death metal??? Kalopsia play death metal, no bones about, no pretensions of wide varied attacks and no desire to pretend they are peddling some earth shattering hybrid. OK, I'll concede that if you're world still revolves around Slayer or slightly earlier thrash outings then you might find some markers lain down way back then that this New Jersey outfit use for navigation but if you hadn't already picked up on it, Angelplague is just about as death as it gets. From the first hammer smash of "Destined To Return" it's heads down, razor sharp riffing that grinds at pace and bullies its way into your brain, whether you want it to or not. 


With two full length efforts and an EP (and countless demos) already behind them, the confident, believable strides just keep on coming, "Christened Upon The Slab" slowing things down to a brutal crawl and slaying anything in its path, while "Source Of My Evil" knows exactly what devilish delight drives this demolition of death to destruction. Vocalist Matt Medeiros's growl is fierce without ever being forced while his and Steve Horvath's guitar work is gargantuan. However as with the vocals the strength here lies in nothing being over played and nothing being fancied up into something it really isn't. Drummer Justin Spaeth brings just the right amount of kick drum torture and the perfect measure of cymbal smashes while leaving enough room for the bass work of Drew Murphy to underpin it all. And it's impossible to state just how masterfully this knowing attack pays off, not one song steered down a dead end, not one riff laced with needless window dressing. The result being death at its best.

Kalopsia know exactly what they are and exactly how to delver what they do best. There's no mucking about, not game of 'look at me' and nothing left on the bone. If it doesn't need to be here, it isn't and there's no denying that's exactly how death metal was intended to be.

Track Listing
1. Destined to Return
2. As the Serpent Devours
3. Christened Upon the Slab
4. Not Peace But Pestilence
5. Scorched Earth and Blackened Skies
6. Source of My Evil
7. Surge of Terror
8. Bitter Sacraments

Added: February 3rd 2018
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Kalopsia at bandcamp
Hits: 1872
Language: english

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