At the Plates – Omnivore (Self-Released)

Friday, 29th December 2023 By Katarina McGinn

Rating: 8/10

Sadly in our fast-paced world, it’s far too easy to simply push a band like At the Plates off to the side, much like that helping of brussel sprouts you’ve been given that you have no interest in, due to the rather amusing nature of their band’s mission statement. Drawing humorous references to that of the Gothenburg, Flordian, and NY death metal scenes (sprinkling in some other genres along the way) with songs that very clearly draw reference to their inspirations in their titles, while waxing poetic about wild tales of culinary-based lyrics, it unfortunately may lead to a portion of the audience to dismiss them as a bit of a gimmick. But truth be told, At the Plates may have very punny song titles and some crazy yet fun lyrics, Omnivore is a ‘melodic’ death metal release that’s going to start your 2024 off in very satisfying ways.

While it’s quite fun to look at the titles, such as “Punish My Waistline” and “Incarnated Syrup Abuse” to crack a cheeky smile at what the band has done to classic Dark Tranquillity and Carcass titles, the bottom line is that At the Plates is far more than a gag offering. Do you enjoy well-written, all-around solid death metal? Because Omnivore is stuffed to the gills with it. Catchy, worm it’s way into your ears type of stuff. Opener “With Their Cutlets” kicks off things with plenty of blasting energy and a barrage of frantic riffing to the point where your ‘gimmick mindset’ is going to drop off immediately. The riffs hit hard, whether they are more speedy and chaotic, or absurdly hooky when they drop to the mid-tempo range. What’s even better is the sense of fun and engagement that carries them through, be it a glorious solo or some rampaging riffs. The grooves of “Roastwell 47” are potent enough to automatically kick your brain into doing some intense headbanging, then switching gears to some fist-pumps as the thrilling chorus comes in. They can even carry longer tracks, such as “Terminal Filet Disease,” by taking the time to carefully build up some mood into the track, keeping melody at the forefront as they escalate it into greater intensity.

Omnivore happily pays homage to some of the death metal greats in fun ways, but it more than stands up on its own merit. At the Plates’ second full-length offering is a road map to how fine death metal should be crafted, and leaves you with a feeling of ‘damn, that was good,’ as you finish each track. It’s heavy, it’s catchy, and it’s sure to leave a satisfied grin on your face when it ends.