This third album from Czech death metallers Godless Truth showed a different side of them. Where as the previous album 'Burning Existence' (1999) was flirting with some melodiousness and technical edge, this was about mathematics and brutality.

This is filled with odd-timed tempo changes and such stuff, so that's why I mentioned math. It's nothing like Meshuggah, if that's what my writing made you think, no. The songs are simply more or less filled with out-of-norm tempo shifts, that one wouldn't expect to happen until they do occur. So, therefore I see this as technical, or experimental, death metal. However, often these shifts surely make songs sound like they were broken.

A lot of slamming bits and groove, hammering or cat-strangling low-tuned guitar riffing, throat-lacerating voice or gutty growled vocals, and aforementioned tempo trickery are what 'selfRealization' is mostly constructed of. Add some pieces of melodiousness and warped-out guitar soloing, there you got the Czechs, who wanted to get more brutal, but the US way. This is more like Dying Fetus, Internal Bleeding or Broken Hope, but sadly rather forgettable for a big part. Yattering from Poland is another band that comes to my mind while listening to 'selfRealization', but even they had clearer approach to their songwriting in all their chaos-ness. And Spain's Wormed... Now that's closer! I cannot call Godless Truth catchy at all, even though there are some very cool riffs happening, e.g. 'Construction the Future's beginning, or 'Isolated Victim's Napalm Death-esque brain-hammering riffing. But alas, then these bloody experimental or whatever tempo changes happen and every bloody song falls on its fucking face during some point. Usually during early stages than later on. Sometimes the band manage to patch up a bit, but the damage has already been done.

Soundwise this is thick and rather brutish. Guitar tones are warm and ripping, for sure. It has a boxy sound, like the band was playing in a small-ish room. The bass guitar is obsolete, at least it's not credited for anyone, and I do not hear it. Well, the kick drumming offers some bassy stuff, as well as the low-tuned guitars. The snare drum sounds like a kettle, and as you know, it's such too tight-sounding that way. The drummer's skills are nifty, for sure. The booklet's outer pages are of greaseproof paper, creating an interesting effect, by the way. Plus, there's a small centrefold. Sadly, nothing sexy, but the cover art in a bigger form. The lyrics are different in typical death metal styles, and about negative thoughts and feelings. The vocals are rather rhythmic, and there's even some growl-rapping...

For years, I tried to get something out of this album, but really didn't enjoy listening to it. They just sound so different on this one! This kind of "tempo change roulette" isn't my thing. I still want a song that is coherent and preferably memorable too, thank you. Sadly, Godless Truth forgot that due they wanted to sound heavier and more brutal than ever before. I still probably want to give this album a chance, but I believe I'll never get into this one. 'selfRealization' surely gives good beating, though. This one requires good adventuring spirit, but the songs might be beyond broken. Godless Truth's 2010 EP 'Too Late to Stop My Hate' promise some mutations in their sound and style, so I think I'll hunt that down!

Rating: 6- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
09/25/2013 20:39