Ara – Devourer of Worlds (Self Released)
Tuesday, 27th January 2015
All too often, technically inclined death metal bands have a tendency to forget about the whole ‘death’ side of things. Coming across as cold and clinically precise, despite playing at a bazillion miles per hour, there’s a heaviness factor that is lost. If you have a tendency to feel the same what about the above situation, you should be inclined to check out Ara and their latest release, Devourer of Worlds.
There’s a clear Gorguts influence on Ara that keeps things quite definitively in the technical death metal spectrum. But what keeps the band on their own terms is the massive brutality in the checks and balances column. Despite showing a certain proficiency in the musical department, Devourer of Worlds is composed of songs instead of technical showcases. Take the bludgeoning of “Cadaverlanche” (what a killer name), which propels things in an Origin-esque manner with the burly approach of Cannibal Corpse. There is an intensity there that can only come from a band that recognizes the wisdom of the ‘90s death metal masters. Yet other tracks like “Human Garbage” slow things down a few notches at times and focus on more eerie and otherworldly riffing. It’s moments like these that give Ara more of a personal flavor and sound. The other piece giving Ara a bit of an edge is the vocals. Sure the delivery is frantic and sometimes pretty indecipherable, but the variations in tone are a bit more than the genre is usually known for and keep things from being a total wash.
So for those who demand a bit more “song” with their technical death metal, you’d be wise to check out Devourer of Worlds. We need more bands that are able to directly channel the technically inclined material while keeping the brutality of the past in check.
