It has been years since we have heard a new release from the seminal thrash band, Death
Angel, but recently they have re surfaced with the appearance of old material and controversy surrounding it. With their first two records seeing the light of day again in a box set, remastered, expanded, and including a DVD, via Rykodisc; the fact that Geffen/Universal would not even return the phone calls in regards to licensing the Act III record for reissue (according to BW&BK), proving that the major record industry still likes to shit on their catalog artists; and finally, a new record exceeding expectations.
The Art of Dying is a mixture of all their types of material from the one the masters of the Bay Area metal scene (the same scene that spawned Metallica, Megadeth, and Testament), from their early days of thrash to the melodic stance of Act II, it's all here and "its all good," well it's actually fucking killer.
So you think that the sweet, innocent sounds of the classically tinged acoustic guitar intros a easy album, right; WRONG, the devirginizing thrust shoots a salvo of energy, with the blistering riffs of
"Thrown to the Wolves," an aggressive homage to classic
Exodus and Exciter, complete with the chops to make for such harness energy, which I might say keeps this record on it's technical edge, providing the discreet guitar work/musicianship in general. It generally no holds barred throughout, proof within
"Thicker than Blood" and
"Prophecy" continue this album on it's heavy path.
The more melodically steadfast cuts include the dark songs such as
"The Devil Incarnate" and
"Never Me," as well as riff driven
"Spirit," "Land of Blood," the prog-metal tinged
"Famine," which comes compete with talk-box guitar riffs, and the ballad turned head banging mayhem
"Word to the Wise".
Death
Angel still have what they brought to the table in the 80's, and show no sign of letting go of the vision they created together over a decade ago, vocalist Mark Osegueda still has the pipes, whether it's singing melodically of howling in a melodic gravely voice, while the band's chops are still strong, proving, again that their "art" will not be "dying" anytime soon.
Written by
Hashman Sunday, May 9, 2004
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