SKINLESS (From Sacrifice To Survival) CD
Since the release of the debut album "Progression Towards Evil" in 1998, this US-band have become a strong musical force in the Death Metal music scene, though the term Death Metal doesn't exactly describes the annihilating sound of SKINLESS. It's the typical tour de force through diverse extreme Metal styles as thrash, grind and death and so it's no surprise, that Relapse Records is once again the label. All included nine songs are full of crunchy high-tension grooves, which are standing in opposite to the high-speed and skull-crushing parts. The vocals are no surprise, what means that you can expect the typical growls. Ok, here and there are a few moments, where you can listen to clean vocals in the background ("Dead Conscience"), but the entire singing style is devoted to the cliche. John Longstreth (ex-Origin) is the man who holds the complex structures together, with his unusual style of drumming. I guess, he's a human octopus or something like this...hahaha. Yes, SKINLESS are playing on a high technical level, but I can't feel any kind of varied emotions in this music, though I've got nothing against brutality in music, as long as it's playing havoc with my mind and touches my heart, but SKINLESS leaves me cold. I guess, this album is a slaughter feast for all death metal fans, but not really the music I prefer. And please, a more tasteful cover artwork next time.
(KK)