Having checked out last year’s Outbreak of Infection, looking into the band’s now second full-length, Dust of Existence, seemed like a no-brainer. Thrashy death metal with a brutal underling tone, Display of Decay churn out more of the same on Dust of Existence, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Putting out there loud and clear from the start – there’s not much in the realms of originality going on in the entirety of Dust of Existence. They cover plenty of well-done death metal tropes. But there’s still something satisfying and compelling about the eight songs they’ve offered up this time. This is pure North American death metal with a dosage of thrash, but it’s the effective songwriting that keeps your interest from start to finish. From the ever-present rumblings of the bass (a welcome inclusion compared to many in the genre) to the equally ever-present number of mid-tempo riffs that seem to bore their way into your brain, it’s a fun and enjoyable listen. They speed things up from there (as well as occasionally bring down the tempo), but Display of Decay seems to work best with groovy, mid-tempo riffage. Cuts like “Cellar Goreatory,” “Messiah,” and “Relentless” all showcase the band’s greatest strength, with riffs that seem far too catchy for the brutality they serve up.
It’s more of the same from Display of Decay, for sure, but it’s hard to complain about this. It may not end up the album of the year, but it provides plenty of entertaining listens for those who want their death metal full of groove and thrashy riffage. And that’s worth something.